Cooking – Mexican Chicken Soup
by Kevin on Jan.16, 2011, under Cooking
So, I started out to make my wife soup tonight. I am not a big soup fan, more of a meat and…more meat kinda guy. I started with an interesting recipe I had found but I knew from the beginning I was going to change it because there were things in it I didn’t like. Then, I misread the recipe. Hmmm… Now I had to adjust, not only for the mistake, but also for the changes I originally planned, because they were likely to change the consistency of the soup. So, I threw the recipe out and just went with it. Upon serving, I was ordered (in a most loving and gentle fashion) to write the recipe down and post it to my blog before I forgot what I had done.
Spice mix:
- 2.5 Tsp Cumin
- 1 Tsp Chili Powder
- .5 Tsp Garlic Powder
- .5 Tsp Salt
Mix spices. LIGHTLY coat 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts in olive oil (kind of a rub-down). Sprinkle (lightly) both sides with the spice mix (You can rub this in as well, if you want.) and SAVE the extra spice mix. Place the chicken in a baking dish and bake in a 375 degree oven for 20 – 30 minutes (until done.) When the chicken is cooked, shred with forks and set aside.
Soup:
- 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
- 1 Cup white or yellow onion diced
- .25 cup green bell pepper diced
- .25 cup red bell pepper diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- Remaining spice mix (from above)
- One can Rotel Tomatoes and green chilis
- One can (12 oz.) tomato paste
- 32 oz. low-sodium chicken stock
- 5 cups hot water (tap hot is fine)
- One can (14.5 oz.) corn (drained)
- One can (14.5 oz.) hominy (drained)
- 2 Tbsp. cumin (to taste)
- .5 Tsp. chili powder (to taste)
- 1 Tsp. salt (to taste)
Start a stock pot with the olive oil over medium-high heat and add the onion, red and green bell peppers, and garlic. Let them cook for a couple minutes and add the remaining spice mix. Stir it thoroughly, then add the shredded chicken and stir. Add the Rotel, chicken stock, tomato paste, water, corn, and hominy. Add the additional cumin, chili powder, and salt. Stir well. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and simmer uncovered for 45 – 50 minutes. Taste and add additional seasonings as needed. Remove from heat and let sit for few minutes before serving.
Now for the FUN… Have an assortment of garnishes available for people to add to their own bowl. (The soup is great, but the garnishes take it to a whole new level.)
Garnish Ideas:
- Shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- Shredded medium cheddar cheese
- Sour Cream
- Tortilla chips (or tortilla chip strips)
- Salsa
- Pico de gallo
- Diced red onion
- Diced avocado
- Chopped cilantro
- Tortilla strips (cut corn tortillas into strips, .5 in. x 2 in.) soak them in the soup for a couple minutes
Cooking – Butter Chicken (Chicken Makhani)
by Kevin on Oct.26, 2010, under Cooking
And now, on a totally different note, people who know me personally know that I enjoy cooking. It is a great stress reliever for me. Several years ago, I had the opportunity to travel to India on business and I fell in love with Indian cuisine. I really enjoy the depth of flavor. That eventually led me to start experimenting with the spices and flavor profiles of Indian cooking.
Probably my second favorite Indian dish is Chicken Makhani (Butter Chicken.) (Chicken Tikka Masala is my favorite, in case you were wondering. And, yes, I know it is not really an Indian dish.) So, I found a recipe. Of course, I consider even the best of recipes just a starting point, and, over time, have developed my own. Apparently, it is pretty good because people keep asking for it. The problem with that is that I tend to do things by “feel” and taste, not specific measurements. Finally, I spent some time this weekend making it and writing down measurements for everything. So, here goes…
Not so fast… Before I begin, I must provide a few notes:
- I seriously like garlic, cumin, and cilantro. If you do not, you may need to adjust accordingly.
- My family prefers things with a bit of a “kick.” So, again, if you do not, you may need to adjust the cayenne accordingly.
- Given the pungency of many of the spices in Indian cuisine, I have found that the freshness of the spices can greatly impact their potency. I encourage you to become familiar with the spices so you know what to adjust. I wholeheartedly recommend that you become a regular at a local Indian market.
- I enjoy foods for their flavor, NOT their calorie count. I don’t wanna hear about it.
Now we can start…
Marinade:
- Juice of three limes (3 Tbsp)
- 6+ cloves of minced garlic
- 1 Tsp Salt (As I heard a chef say, “Kosher salt is best for some dishes, sea salt is best for other dishes, iodized salt is good for your driveway in the winter.” I use sea salt in this dish.)
- 1/2 Tsp Black Pepper (ground)
- 1 Tsp Cayenne Pepper (ground)
- 1/4 Tsp Coriander
- 1/4 Tsp Cardamom
- 3 Tsp Cumin
Marinate 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts at least 6 hours but preferably overnight.
When you are ready to start cooking:
Dice a medium-sized yellow or white onion
In a large skillet, saute the diced onion in 1/4 cup of butter until very soft (just before they start to brown.) This is BUTTER chicken, folks. Margarine just will not cut it.
Remove all of the onion and most of the butter from the pan and set aside. Leave just enough butter to cook the chicken.
Cook the chicken until just barely done (about 5 minutes on each side). It can even be a little under-done because you are going to cook it more in the sauce. (Under-done is better than over-done because the over-done chicken will tend to shred in the sauce when you stir it.)
Dice the chicken and return it to the pan along with the onions and butter set aside earlier.
Add one can (14 – 15 oz.) of diced tomatoes and one can (14 – 15 oz.) of tomato sauce.
Add the following spices (Don’t be alarmed at the amounts. You are going to cut the sauce with cream at the end.):
- 1/2 Tsp. Cardamom
- 1/2 Tsp. Coriander
- 1/4 Tsp. Cayenne
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. Cumin (yes, you read that right)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Note: You will need to learn how the sauce should taste at this point vs. how it will taste at the end. The cream and cilantro radically change the dish, so you need to trust the flavor at this point. You can add salt and pepper after the cream, but I do not recommend adding other spices after the cream. They tend to form lumps for some reason.
Simmer for 25 – 30 minutes.
Add 1 1/2 cup of cream, and 1/2 to a full bunch of FRESH cilantro (chopped) to taste. (If you want it to look “purdy” when you serve it, keep a little cilantro to sprinkle on the top.) Note: You can use more cream if you prefer a more buttery taste, but I have found it overwhelming. Also, you can switch out to half-and-half or milk, but the sauce will not thicken as well.
Bring the sauce back to a simmer and it is done.
Serve over basmati rice. I usually cook the rice in chicken broth so it has a little flavor of its’ own. If you really want to get authentic, get naan from your local Indian grocer and serve it (heated in a toaster oven or similar) alongside.
Serves 6.
The “Morality” of the Healthcare debate
by Kevin on Apr.01, 2010, under Politics, Worldview
So, Congress passed the Healthcare bill. In one fell swoop, arguably the largest intrusion of the US government into personal freedom became law. Now we will sit through numerous lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of the bill and, depending on the makeup of the Supreme Court when the case finally gets there, the Constitution may yet be preserved against the latest socialist attack. But, in the mean time, I have a few thoughts.
Before I get into the real “heavy” stuff, just a quick thought on liberal “logic.” It occurs to me that a mainstay of the liberal argument for abortion “rights” for decades has been the mantra that the government has no business getting between a woman and her doctor. Yet now, somehow, if it will increase the power of the politicians and make people more dependent on the government, they argue that the government should get between ALL of us and our doctor. Hmmm…
Now on to more important thoughts…
I am getting sick of this notion that somehow Christian “morality” should align one in favor of the Healthcare bill. This argument falls apart at many levels.
First, no where in God’s design for government is there any indication that this comes within their sphere of responsibility. Scripture is pretty specific on the appropriate functions of government.
“But what about those poor people who can’t afford healthcare? Don’t you care about them? Doesn’t Jesus care about them?”
There is no question that the Bible teaches that there is an obligation to the poor. Jesus expressed great compassion for the poor. But Scripture clearly establishes that this responsibility belongs to the individual and the church. But, no where does the Bible indicate that this responsibility belongs to the government.
Second, Biblical teaching on giving to care for the poor contains some essential truths that the “social gospel” proponents are intentionally ignoring.
- “Alms” (the direct giving of charity) were reserved for those who COULD NOT provide for themselves. The disabled, the orphans, etc. were given charity. Those who were capable of working were expected to work for their living. The Scriptural statement in both the Old and New Testaments is “If a man WOULD NOT work, neither should he eat.” Interestingly enough, God’s instruction to Israel in the Old Testament provides an interesting insight into this. As it was a largely agrarian society, the farmers were instructed not to over-harvest their crops. There were to leave a little in the fields. This was so that the needy who COULD work would have something to WORK with. The needy still had to pick the crop. They still had to process the grain, produce, etc. They still had to sell/trade what they could to get the things they needed. The only thing made available to them was leftover raw materials with which to WORK.
- In EVERY Biblical example or teaching on giving to the poor and needy, giving is ALWAYS voluntary on the part of the giver. It is never under mandate or coercion by any human authority. We do not allow bank robbery as long as the robber distributes the proceeds to the poor. We do not condone such behavior because of some “moral” virtue. By the same token, government entitlement programs of ANY kind (including healthcare) do not carry “moral” virtue because the government does not earn money. The only money the government can give away is that which it has seized at the point of a gun from someone who worked hard for it.
And one final thought… When was the last time we saw legislation passed which assumed we were independent, intelligent humans, capable of leading our own lives? Every piece of legislation supposedly designed to “help” us is really a statement of arrogance on the part of politicians declaring that we, “the great unwashed,” can’t take care of ourselves. So, tonight as you go to bed, remember that your politicians are sitting in Washington, looking down on pitiful, stupid you, and just waiting to “help” you — just as long as you are willing to trade your freedom for the “help.”
Corporate “Ethics”
by Kevin on Feb.19, 2010, under Business World, Character, Ethics
I have recently been contemplating the notion of Corporate “Ethics”. As the economy struggles and certain politicians seem to want to divert attention from their own culpability, the blame is directed at those “evil corporations” (which is another discussion entirely.) In response, we are flooded with companies trying to convince us all that they are acting “ethically,” or that they hold such traits as “integrity” in high regard.
From the inside, as a follower of Christ in the corporate arena, I have observed this phenomenon from a different perspective. And it goes beyond just an abstract observation because it brings with it a potential temptation to compromise. Of course, I will generalize based on my observations, but from talking to colleagues in other companies and friends in various industries, I think my points have general validity.
1. “Ethics” and “integrity” do not always have the same meaning outside of a Christian worldview. Yes, they may sometimes be based on the same basic Judeo-Christian concepts, but they have come to hold very different meanings. In an organization that supposedly values “integrity”, I have seen horrified reactions from those touting “integrity” when someone actually acted with true integrity.
2. As with pretty much everything within the corporate context, “ethics” and “integrity” have a financial component to how they are defined and/or executed. They exist within a construct which evaluates the potential for a given action to impact the financial bottom-line of the company. If an un-ethical action could impact the finances of the company, either directly or by damage to the reputation of the company, it is considered a serious issue. If not, no one really cares. If the issue is deemed serious, but addressing the issue would be costly, either financially or in impact to the organization, it is ignored.
For example, an executive lying to customers, employees, colleagues, etc. is only considered a breach of ethics if it has the potential to bring financial harm to the company. As long as the lies are “insignificant” or can be covered in some manner so the company is not financially harmed, there is no problem.
If an executive is caught in a compromising situation but it is felt that the individual is so valuable to the organization that corrective action would be detrimental to the company as a whole, a determination is made as to whether or not the risk to the organization is great enough to offset the potential “pain.”
3. Management techniques and business processes can actually codify un-ethical behavior, either as designed or as implemented. Often, a manager’s desire to not be seen in a negative light will create situations that are obviously un-ethical. I have observed Quality Assurance organizations where it was an enforced process that critical defects NOT be reported in certain situations so management did not have to deal with the customers about the issue.
One of my favorites, however, is the concept of “managing up.” In theory, “managing up” encapsulates to notion of making sure that one is in sync with their direct manager, both in understanding what they want and in making sure they are aware of and in agreement with what the individual is doing. In reality, this is usually implemented as a process to filter any information management receives so they only get information that puts the individual in the best possible light. Or it is used to limit the information given to management so they make a decision desirable to the individual even though it may not be the best for the company, instead of giving them all the facts to make the best decision.
I know of one employee who was reprimanded for complying with a direct request from the CIO of a company to send him a specific document. The VP of the group actually believed that the employee should have ignored the request because the VP might not want the CIO to have some part of that information. This VP (as well as the SVP) was so paranoid that if an employee in the group was seen talking to another executive, they were called in to report on exactly what was said. This executive also published a department policy forbidding anyone in the group to email any other executive in the company, even if it was in response to a specific request. All of this was under the guise of “managing up”.
4. “Ethics” in the corporate world is a concept of individual actions, not personal character. From a Christian worldview, we understand that a lack of integrity is a matter of the core character of the individual. In the corporate sense, a demonstrated lack of integrity in an area of life not involving the company business is ignored. There is no connection to the core character of the person. The corporate concept of integrity does not equate a person’s willingness to cheat on his spouse with a deficit of basic character in the area of honesty.
5. For a follower of Christ working in the corporate world, there is an unrelenting temptation to adopt the corporate version of “ethics” instead of holding to the Biblical standard of character. Unfortunately, I have seen too many “Christians” in the corporate world decide to “play the game” and begin to compromise their integrity. They get caught up in the fallacy that there is a “secular” world and a “sacred” world. They begin to forget that we are called to be ambassadors of Christ in ALL things and that we bear His Name, even as we walk the halls of the corporate world.
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What is your life?
You are a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes. James 4:14
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