Sausage, Potato and Beer Cheese Soup

I don't even know where to start with this soup.  It is so freaking good.  I made it on a whim on Sunday night and Mr. Schwartz and I were both blown away.  Like we actually didn't talk the whole time we scarfed it down.  I wish I was kidding.  

Surprisingly I made it with healthy(ier) things like skim milk, chicken sausage and low fat cheese.  I promise I doesn't taste low fat at all!  Also, it takes less than a half an hour to whip up.  Try this now and feel free to write me a handwritten thank you note with the tears of joy you shed while eating it. Yeah, it's that good.

Start by chopping up an onion.

Melt a little butter and pop it in a large Dutch Oven or soup pot.  Add the onions (not pictured) and saute for about 3 minutes or so.

This is the sausage I used.  Holy Moley you guys, I love this stuff. 

Cut it into cute little half moons.

Add the sausage to the pot and give it a quick stir.  Let this cook while you work on the potatoes...

Potatoes worked.  As in I peeled, washed and diced them up.

Add them to the pot as well.  Stir again.

Pour in some low sodium chicken broth.

And a bottle of beer.  Oh I love Spotted Cow.  My friend Amy hooked me up when she came back from Wisconsin.  My little bootlegger.  Shhh...don't tell anyone.

Cook for about 10 minutes or so, until the potatoes are tender.

Combine milk and flour to make a slurry and pour into the pot.  Give it a stir and it should thicken things up nicely.

Season with a little salt

And lots of pepper.

Add the cheese and that is it!

How easy is that!?

The answer is: easy.

And delicious.


Sausage, Potato and Beer Cheese Soup

1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion, chopped
13 oz of smoked sausage (I used chicken sausage) cut into half moons
3 medium potatoes, peeled, washed and chopped
1 32 oz box of chicken broth
1 bottle of beer.  I loved the flavor Spotted Cow gave the soup.
1 1/2 cups milk (skim is totally okay!)
1/3 cup flour
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese + additional for topping (low fat is okay!)

Start by adding the butter and onion into a large Dutch Oven or soup pot on medium high heat.  Let saute for about 3 minutes.  Add the sausage and let cook for 3-4 minutes while you peel and chop the potatoes.  Add the potatoes, chicken broth and beer.  Let cook for about 10-15 minutes or until the potatoes are soft but not mushy.

Combine the milk and flour in a glass and make sure to use a fork to remove any lumps.  Pour into the pot and give it a good stir.  When it heats back up it will thicken the soup, be sure to continue to stir.  Once the soup is hot and bubbly again, add the cheese and stir until creamy and combined.

Garnish with additional cheese and enjoy!

Recipe by: Mrs. Schwartz

Baked Bang Bang Chicken and Sweet Ginger Garlic Green Beans

A few weeks ago Thai Kitchen sent me a few products to try.  One of the products was their Sweet Red Chili Sauce and I knew I had to make Bang Bang Chicken.  If you are a Pinterest user, I am sure you have seen Bang Bang Chicken several times.  What I could gather is it is a combination of red chili sauce and mayo.  Sounds weird but is utterly delicious.  I didn't want to fry the chicken to keep it a little healthier so I used my old stand by baked chicken nuggets recipe and it turned out great! 

I served the chicken over a bed of the Thai Kitchen's Jasmine Rice which I love since it cooks up so quickly!  Along with the Bang Bang Chicken I quickly whipped up some roasted green beans with the Sweet Ginger Garlic seasoning.  These were absolutely delicious as well and took about a minute to prepare.  Let's do it to it. 

Start by cutting two boneless skinless chicken breasts into chunks.

Add the chicken to a bowl and pour in a little buttermilk.

Give it a quick toss and pop it in the fridge for a few hours.  I think you can skip this step however, it does lead to very moist chicken which, let's be honest, dry chicken is gross.

Next you can get your green beans set up.  Cut the ends off and give them a good rinse.

Drizzle a little canola or olive oil over them

Here is the seasoning I was talking about.  Wow, seriously amazing stuff.  I kind of want it on everything.  Just a quick sprinkle on a grilled chicken breast would even be amazing.

For this recipe I just sprinkled a good amount of seasoning on the beans and gave them a toss.

I lined a baking sheet with tin foil because I'm lazy and don't appreciate cleaning things.  Look at all of that seasoning! Set the beans aside for now.

Then get to work on the breading for the chicken.  I added flour, Panko bread crumbs (which to me are essential and add that extra crunch)...

Garlic salt

Paprika

And lots of black pepper

Give it a good stir

Whisk together a few eggs and you are good to go.

Set up your assembly line with the chicken, eggs, breading and cooking sheet (clearly lined with tin foil--ya, I'm lazy) and a cooling rack.  That is essential as it allows the chicken to crisp on all sides.

Start by taking each piece of chicken and adding it to the eggs

Flour mixture

Flip it over and press the mixture onto the chicken so it sticks

Back into the eggs, and into the flour mixture.  That will give you super crunchy chicken.  I like super crunchy chicken, don't you?

Pop them onto the cooling rack.

This is a method I learned from Jessica at How Sweet It Is.  Give each nugget a "spritz" as she says, of cooking spray.  Yes, I understand that it looks like I'm drenching them but you try to take a picture while "spritzing" a chicken nugget left handed.  Just try.  Okay, sorry I blew up.  Pop these little guys in the oven.

Now, to work on the sauce.  It could not be easier.  Add some mayo, I used light mayo.

And the Thai Kitchen Sweet Red Chili Sauce.

Like so.

That's it.

Cook up the rice as well.  Typically I would start this earlier but like I said, the Thai Kitchen Jasmine Rice cooks up really fast!

Half way through the cooking process, remove the chicken, give it a quick flip and spritz the bottom that is now the top.  Does that make any sense at all? But you want to make that powder go away so it's super crunchy.

Oh yeah, and pop the green beans in for a bit.  Look at those babies! I could eat a whole pan.

That is it!  Packed with serious flavor yet healthy and delicious! 

Both would make a perfect appetizer for a party

But also come together for a quick and healthy meal!


Baked Bang Bang Chicken

2 bone-less skinless chicken breasts, cuts into bite sized pieces
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 cups all-pupose flour
1 1/2 cups Panko bread crumbs
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 eggs
Non-stick cooking spray
1/2 cup light mayo
1/2 Sweet Red Chili Sauce

Add the chicken and buttermilk in a large bowl, cover and place in the fridge for about 2 hours or so.

When the chicken is marinating, combine the flour, Panko, garlic salt, paprika and black pepper on a large plate.  Give it a good stir.

Crack the eggs in a bowl and whisk.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and line a baking sheet with tin foil and place a wire cooling rack on top of that.

Set up an assembly line with the chicken, egg then flour mixture at the end.  Take each piece of chicken and coat it in the egg, flour mixture, egg and back in the flour mixture.  Give it a little pat so the breading sticks.  Place the breaded nuggets on the cooling rack and spray with non-stick cooking spray.

Bake in the oven for 7-8 minutes.  After that time, remove from the oven, flip the nuggets over and spray again with the cooking spray.  Bake for an additional 7-8 minutes.

While the chicken is baking, prepare your rice (if serving over rice) and combine the mayo and Sweet Red Chili Sauce.

When the nuggets are cooked, lay on a bed of Jasmine Rice and drizzle with the Bang-Bang Sauce.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from: How Sweet It Is


Sweet Ginger Garlic Green Beans

1 bunch of green beans (3 cups or so)
1 tablespoon canola or olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons Sweet Ginger Garlic Seasoning

Cut the ends of of the beans and wash.  Drizzle with the oil and sprinkle with the seasoning.

Lay on a tin foil lined baking sheet and bake at 450 for 7-8 minutes.  After that time, give them a good toss and place back in the oven for 7-8 minutes again.

Enjoy!

Recipe by: Mrs. Schwartz


FYI: This sponsorship is brought to you by Foodie Blogroll who we have partnered with for this promotion.  However, the ideas are my own and like always, you can't by my love, baby.