By Lisa Golden Schroeder

Wow, I can’t believe it’s officially spring already. And I’m itching to spiff up all sorts of spaces in my house as the sun pouring into my windows reveals too much dust! When we remodeled our house several years ago, I added a much-longed-for walk-in pantry. As the years have passed it’s been both a blessing and a challenge, as I struggle to keep it stocked—in a relevant way. Meaning that I’m trying to avoid the trap of buying too much of anything that I don’t use regularly. No impulse buying because of great deals, because as my pantry has shown me time and again, it’s not a bargain if it languishes on a shelf. So I just spent about two hours clearing away anything, both food and over-stocked paper goods, that I know really won’t be part of a menu anytime soon—off to the food shelf or recycling.

It feels so good now to step into my tiny pantry domain, its contents clearly revealed again, almost like being at the grocery store. Now I have a reasonable collection of rice, pasta and other whole grains; cooked beans for soups, salads or dips; canned tomatoes; and my favorite condiments and dressings. Now it’s time tackle my overflowing freezer, where way too much is hiding from view. Here’s some of what I consider essential in the deep freeze:

• Quick-cook poultry—boneless, skinless chicken breasts and thighs that I can use for a fast sauté or stir-fry. If you don’t have time to thaw in the refrigerator, you can carefully begin the process in the microwave before you start cooking.
• A few bags of vegetables—corn, peas, baby broccoli florets, or Italian green beans. Studies show that vegetables are picked at their peak ripeness and are flash frozen preserve their nutrients sometimes better than those veggies that hang around in the fridge for too long.
• Whole-grain breads, crusty rolls, bagels—I love having a selection of grainy baked goods to serve with soup or for making a luscious grilled cheese or panini sandwich. The freezer allows me to have my own bakery anytime.

My goal is to always have healthy choices for express dinners at my fingertips, so that when I don’t have time to plan or shop I can still pull a great supper together in less than 30 minutes. My other important goal is to make my kitchen greener, which includes how I clean. I’ve switched to using a distilled vinegar & water solution in a spray bottle for my counters, baking soda or borax to scrub the inside of the sink, and a little spritz of rubbing alcohol to take greasy fingerprints off of stainless-steel appliances. It’s so nice to slowly eliminate toxic cleaners—and it’s cheaper!

By Lisa Golden Schroeder

“A chicken in every pot and a car in every garage”… Herbert Hoover, 1928. What a unique presidential campaign slogan, and what a welcome promise of prosperity. A different era, yet in these tough economic times for many families, it’s a promise that still resonates, in particular that chicken, which is an affordable luxury as far as I’m concerned. I know that for both my grandmother and mom, sliding a big casserole filled with a stewing hen and inexpensive root vegetables into the oven on a Sunday was routine.

I laughed a few years ago when my mom returned from a cooking class with a famous French chef, who made his grandmother’s poule au pot. And she couldn’t believe it was the same way her grandmother pot-roasted chicken! There’s just nothing complicated about this dish except that it’s absolutely magical how delicious it is with very little labor involved. I like to play with as many aromatic vegetables that I can get my hands on—onions, leeks and garlic all slowly roast to sweetness in the moist heat of a covered casserole. But the beauty of pot-roasting a whole bird is that the chicken is the hero, while everything else you put in with it is only enhanced by the wonderful flavors of the broth.

The key to a really great poule au pot is the slow cooking with some kind of liquid—it can be as simple as water. The chicken should become so tender that it’s nearly falling off the bones, and the fragrance when the lid is lifted off the casserole will fill the house. I know that finding a longer chunk of time to cook on a weeknight is asking a lot, so you can do this in a large slow-cooker if you have one. But think about establishing a Saturday or Sunday evening tradition of putting a bird in the oven, hanging out with the kids and listening to music or watching a movie. And maybe you’ll even have a few leftovers for sandwiches the following week.

NANA’S POT ROAST CHICKEN

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Add other root vegetables to this simple chicken dish: chunks of carrot or parsnip, or a little rutabaga and celery. Squeeze the tender garlic out of the heads and mash them into the cooking broth—or let each diner spread them on pieces of toasted French bread. If time is at a premium, a large slow cooker is ideal for slowly braising a whole bird while you’re away for several hours.

INGREDIENTS

1 package (3-1/2 to 4 pounds) Just BARE™ Whole Chicken

2 teaspoons olive oil

12 red new potatoes, halved

3 large leeks, rinsed well, cut into ½-inch pieces

8 yellow or red boiler onions*, peeled, halved lengthwise

2 heads garlic, halved crosswise

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup dry white wine or chicken broth

1 tablespoon fresh thyme and/or rosemary leaves (1-1/2 teaspoons dried)

2-1/2 teaspoons coarse salt

Freshly ground pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

• Heat oven to 350˚F. Tie chicken legs together with kitchen twine. Lift wingtips up and over back, tucking them securely under chicken. Place in large Dutch oven or heavy casserole with lid.
• Arrange potatoes, leeks, onions and garlic around chicken. Pour broth and wine over chicken and vegetables; sprinkle with herbs, salt and pepper to taste. Cover pan.
• Place casserole over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Transfer pan to oven. Cook 1 hour; remove lid and cook 30 minutes longer or until chicken juices run clear and potatoes are tender.
• Carve chicken and serve with vegetables and pan juices.

*Boiler onions are about 2 inches in diameter; other small onions may be substituted

By Lisa Golden Schroeder

Heading to Mexico soon for a taste of spring? Or maybe some other southern escape that will bring true spring closer, faster? Living in Arizona as a college student, spring break meant a possible train trip down to Mazatlan for a week of partying on the beach. Now, as a grown-up living “up north,” spring break means a respite from work and maybe a trip someplace that requires only a swim suit and flip-flops. I don’t think I’ll manage that this year, but I do crave flavors from tropical places—a salty margarita, some juicy chunks of ripe mango or a generous bowl of indulgently silky guacamole. It’s lighter food, ready-made for an active vacation but easy to recreate at home.

One dish that never fails to perk me up is a Caesar salad, which hails (according to culinary legend) from Mexico. Caesar Cardini, an acclaimed restaurateur in Tijuana in the 1920s, supposedly created the original tableside salad on the spur of the moment from a few simple ingredients. The true story of the recipe’s origin varies, but the salad itself soon became extremely popular among diners, especially the Hollywood set. I think the reason Caesar salad, in all its iterations, is so beloved is due to its garlicky dressing (with a dab of anchovy), crunchy croutons, crisp lettuce and savory cheese. So to top it off with a tender grilled or thinly sliced sautéed chicken breast only makes it more enticing.

This is a version that simplifies and lightens the traditional creamy Caesar dressing and is a cooling contrast to the spice-rubbed chicken fillets or tenders. The bite of the Romaine lettuce provides even more texture. And what really set this recipe apart are the thick slices of creamy avocado and crispy croutons I make from my favorite sourdough bread. I’m savoring the winter Haas avocados right now, rich in flavor and health benefits, that taste so delicious with the spicy chicken and citrusy tang of the dressing.

CHICKEN CAESAR SALAD with AVOCADO

Makes 4 servings

For an even more authentic flavor, add a few drops of Worcestershire sauce or a small spoonful of anchovy paste to the dressing. You can buy handmade croutons in a good bakery or make your own in minutes. Just toss torn pieces of rustic bread with olive oil or melted better and lots of chopped garlic. Toast in the oven on a baking sheet until golden brown and crisp.

INGREDIENTS

For the dressing

1 large lemon or 2 medium limes

1/2 cup light mayonnaise

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan or Romano cheese (2 ounces)

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

For the salad

1 tablespoon smoked paprika or chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 package (14 ounces) Just BARE™ Hand-Trimmed Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts or Tenders

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 Romaine hearts, halved lengthwise or torn into pieces

2 small ripe avocadoes, peeled, sliced

2 cups large crisp croutons

Freshly ground pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

• Grate peel from lemon; squeeze juice into small bowl.  Stir in mayonnaise, ¼ cup cheese, and garlic until smooth. Set aside.

• Mix spices in shallow dish. Coat chicken fillets or tenders with spice mixture. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.

• Sauté chicken three to four minutes per side or until no longer pink in center. If using chicken fillets, thinly slice across the grain into strips.

• Arrange lettuce on salad plate or shallow bowls. Top with chicken, avocado and croutons. Drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese and black pepper.

By Lisa Golden Schroeder

My Jewish grandmother always said that chicken soup was good for what ails you. And guess what? Science has actually proved that chicken soup is not only good for the soul, but also your bronchial tubes! The benefits of a steaming bowl of rich chicken broth, especially if spiced up with pepper and garlic, are real. In fact, research shows that it’s a powerful anti-inflammatory agent, helping fight off those pesky winter germs. And I think that just about any grandmother, no matter where she’s from, knew this long before laboratory testing proved her right.

I grew up on a very basic, farm-style chicken noodle soup—a nice bone-in hen stewed with carrots, celery and onion. I sometimes got to help slice the hand-rolled noodles—mine were always a little uneven and never quite resembled the beautifully thick and chewy ones my mom slid into the simmering broth. With fingers of asbestos, she tore the hot chicken off the bones, returning it to the soup kettle, along with a hearty grind of black pepper and sprinkle of coarse salt. Nothing more, nothing less—satisfying, a supper that no one didn’t like.

So when my mom became seriously ill with a flu bug this past summer, I rediscovered my own comfort and sustenance in huge bowls of chicken soup from an entirely different place.  Just a few blocks from the hospital, in the heart of an immigrant neighborhood, I found myself haunting a tiny Vietnamese noodle shop that served up an impressive array of traditional pho. Pho (pronounced fuh) is a soothing and beloved rice noodle soup with beef—a breakfast favorite in Vietnam. Intensely aromatic with charred onion, ginger, and spices, pho is also made with chicken—pho ga—and vegetables if you like.

The chicken version is my favorite—and the best part of the dish, beyond the amazing broth and chewy rice stick noodles, are the classic condiments served alongside them:  fragrant Asian basil, fresh bean sprouts, wedges of tart lime and hot chiles (sliced serrano or Thai bird chiles and ruby red chile paste). Other fresh herbs might be offered, like cilantro, culantro, saw-leaf herb or purple mint. Torn leaves are scattered into the steaming bowl, and I personally love adding a spoonful of hoisin and a big squirt of Sriracha chili sauce. The brilliant, deep flavors definitely have curative powers.  If you don’t have time to leisurely simmer a whole chicken, try this short-cut (I make no claims of authenticity) version of pho to stave off any lingering sniffles or coughs, fortifying your family until spring arrives.

CHICKEN AND RICE STICK NOODLE SOUP (Pho Ga)

Makes 6 servings

I know people who crave diving into vast bowls of this aromatic chicken noodle soup. Stirring in torn fresh herbs, a squeeze of lime, a spoonful of hot chiles, some crisp bean sprouts or a drizzle of sweet hoisin, Sriracha chili sauce or fish sauce allows diners to personalize the flavors in their bowl. The rich broth is deeply flavored all by itself, the perfect pool for the chewy rice noodles. Adding chunks of chicken and some steamed veggies only makes it better—a handful of broccoli florets, snow peas, sliced carrots or chunks of sweet bell pepper would make this a one-bowl meal.

INGREDIENTS

For the broth

2 medium onions

1 large (3-inch) piece fresh gingerroot

1 quart good-quality chicken broth

1 quart water

¼ cup fish sauce

2 teaspoons raw sugar

2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1 package (20 ounces) Just BARE™ Hand-Trimmed Boneless Skinless Thighs*

For the noodles

1 package (14 ounces) dried rice stick noodles, 1/16-inch-wide (banh pho)

1/2 small red onion, very thinly sliced

3 green onions, thinly sliced diagonally

Garnishes

6 large sprigs Thai basil

½ pound fresh bean sprouts

1 lime, cut into wedges

Red chile sauce or oil, if desired

Sriracha chili sauce, if desired

Hoisin sauce, if desired

INSTRUCTIONS

• Holding the onions and ginger with metal tongs, roast them over an open gas flame or place them under the broiler until the skin is charred. Peel the blackened skin away; cut ginger into 1-inch pieces and onions into wedges.
• Place broth, water, fish sauce, sugar, peppercorns, and salt in large soup kettle. Bring to a boil; add ginger, onion and chicken thighs. Reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place rice noodles in a large bowl of cold water for about 30 minutes. Heat a large saucepan of water to boiling.
• When the broth is done, remove chicken. Shred into bite-size pieces.  Drain noodles; place (you can do this one serving at a time) into boiling water. Blanch for about 20 seconds until hot. Place noodles in large soup bowls.
• Top the noodles in each bowl with shredded chicken, along with some red and green onion. Ladle hot broth into each bowl.
• Serve soup with garnishes.

*One (3.5-4 pound) Just BARE™ Whole Chicken, cut into quarters, may be substituted. Simmer broth for 45 minutes, skimming fat and foam from surface occasionally. Remove the skin from the cooked chicken; pull meat from the bones. Shred chicken into pieces and return to soup.