Soul Taker Secrets: Archangels Must Be Swiss – They LOVE Cheese

May 8, 2023April 30, 2023 ~ aurorajeanalexander ~ 4 Comments

Katie, Raphael’s consort, is not the only one cooking for her Archangel. This recipe is one that Koyu recommended, Santanael’s wife. She knows her Archangel well, and she’s well aware of her husband being a big cheese lover. She, therefore, often prepares a little cheesy appetizer, or a cheesy midnight snack for him, when he has to work long hours and comes home exhausted and hungry.

Let’s see what Archangel Santanael can expect:

Baked Brie With Pecans

Ingredients

1 (8-oz.) Brie round
1/4 cup honey
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans
2 tablespoons chopped sweetened dried cherries
Apple slices, crackers, and/or toasted baguette slices for serving

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Unwrap cheese, and place on prepared baking sheet. (Do not trim rind from cheese.) Bake until cheese is soft to the touch, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven; cool on baking sheet 5 minutes.
Place honey, salt, and five spice powder in a small saucepan. Heat over medium-low until honey “melts,” about 2 minutes. Stir in pecans and cherries; cook until warmed, about 2 minutes.
Carefully transfer cheese round to a platter; top with pecan mixture. Serve warm with apples, crackers, and/or toasted baguette slices.

*https://www.southernliving.com/recipes/baked-brie-with-pecans*

Soul Taker Secrets: After A Hard Archangel’s Work Day

March 23, 2023March 19, 2023 ~ aurorajeanalexander ~ 9 Comments

At times Katie invites her entire family, namely, the ‘Council of Twelve,’ a dozen of the most powerful individuals in existence with their respective consorts, for dinner in hers and Raphael’s house.

Despite Katie’s progress in the kitchen, it’s become a ‘running gag’ that she had no clue about cooking at the time of her and Raphael’s wedding. And even though she liked to cook, the results could be disastrous. Some of the other Archangel consorts gave her a hand at times, and with their help, and the support of a few excellent angelic chefs, Katie’s cooking improved visibly.

This is one of the recipes she cooked, this time with Koyu’s and Simin’s help.

*Picture and recipe courtesy of https://www.healthyseasonalrecipes.com/fish-casserole/*

Ingredients

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1 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1.75 pound white fish fillet, Best Choices in your area
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced
½ teaspoon dry thyme, or 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
pinch nutmeg
¾ cup dry white wine* See sub note below
2 slices bread, crusts removed preferably sourdough or multi-grain
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup shredded Emmentaler, Gruyere or Swiss cheese

Instructions

Grease 9 by 13-inch casserole dish with softened butter. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Arrange fish fillet in the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a medium heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often (adding 1 to 2 tablespoons water if necessary to prevent the onion from darkening too much) until the onion softens and starts to brown, 6 to 9 minutes. Stir in thyme and nutmeg. Spread the onion mixture over the fish. Pour wine into the casserole dish.
Pulse bread in food processor until coarse crumbs. Drizzle on the remaining 2 teaspoons oil and add paprika and garlic powder. Process to combine until the bread is evenly red and moist. Sprinkle crumbs over the onion.
Top the casserole with the cheese and place in the oven. Bake until the fish is cooked through and the crumbs are browned, 18 to 22 minutes. Serve warm.

Notes

Instead of wine you can use broth (or clam juice) plus one tablespoon lemon juice for a non-alcoholic option.

Nutrition

SERVING SIZE: 1/6th casserole
CALORIES: 270 calories
SUGAR: 2 g
SODIUM: 443 mg
FAT: 11 g
SATURATED FAT: 5 g
CARBOHYDRATES: 10 g
FIBER: 1 g
PROTEIN: 28 g

(Find it online: https://www.healthyseasonalrecipes.com/fish-casserole/)

Soul Taker Secrets: Something Warm To Come To

November 17, 2022November 14, 2022 ~ aurorajeanalexander ~ 2 Comments

Even though The Council of Twelve isn’t depending on the weather at home, most of the time they have to go out for their work, it takes them to sometimes inhospitable areas on Earth. Despite their powers and their immunity to cold or heat, occasionally, a chill can be caused by a situation, or a happening, rather than weather caused.

In such a case, our consorts have a soup prepared that dispels the cold and chill from their millennia-old bones and lifts their spirits.

Katie’s and Simin’s favorite is this one:

Spicy Blue Hubbard Squash Soup

Ingredients

1 medium Blue Hubbard or kabocha squash
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon kosher salt, divided
¾ teaspoon black pepper, divided, plus more for serving
1 medium leek
1 medium-size yellow onion, thinly sliced (2 cups)
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ cup heavy whipping cream
Mexican crema
Queso fresco (fresh Mexican cheese)
Thinly sliced serrano chiles
Fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Using a sharp knife, remove stem from squash, and discard. Cut squash in half lengthwise. Remove seeds and pulp with a spoon, and transfer to a large bowl. Set aside. Brush cut sides of squash with 1 tablespoon of the oil, and season evenly with ½ teaspoon of the salt and ¼ teaspoon of the pepper. Place squash halves, cut side down, on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast until squash is tender, about 1 hour.
While squash is roasting, separate squash seeds from pulp and transfer seeds to a small bowl; discard pulp. Cut greens from white part of leek, and reserve greens for another use or discard. Cut white part in half lengthwise, and thinly slice to equal ¾ cup.
Remove squash from oven, and let stand until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Using a spoon, scrape flesh from skin, and transfer to a medium bowl, along with any pan drippings from baking sheet. Discard skin. Set scraped squash aside, and reduce oven temperature to 300°F.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large stockpot over medium. Add leek and onion to pot. Cook, stirring often, until tender and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add coriander, cumin, roasted squash and pan drippings, and vegetable broth to pot, and bring to a boil over medium. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture is reduced and has thickened slightly, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, toss together squash seeds, chili powder, ½ teaspoon of the salt, and remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a medium bowl until well combined. Transfer seasoned squash seeds to a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast at 300°F until fragrant and seeds begin to pop, about 15 minutes, stirring halfway through roasting. Set aside.
Remove pot from heat, and pour half of squash mixture into a blender. Secure lid on blender, and remove center piece to allow steam to escape. Place a clean towel over opening. Process until smooth, about 1 minute; transfer mixture to a clean saucepan. Repeat process until all squash mixture has been pureed. Bring squash mixture to a simmer over low. Whisk heavy cream and remaining 2 teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper into squash mixture; cook until heated through, about 2 minutes.
To serve, ladle soup into 6 bowls, and drizzle Mexican crema over each serving. Top with crumbled queso fresco, roasted squash seeds, thinly sliced serrano chiles, fresh cilantro leaves, and black pepper; serve immediately.

(Source: Spicy Blue Hubbard Squash Soup (southernliving.com))

Picture courtesy of Southernliving.com

Soul Taker Secrets – A Rich Family Dinner

May 5, 2022April 27, 2022 ~ aurorajeanalexander ~ 8 Comments

It was one of these days when Katie invited the family to an informal dinner. As usual, she had her head full of work and came home late. And here she was, panicking. We all know she’s not the best cook between Heaven and Earth, and being late and not having an enormous choice in the pantry, made her hyperventilate.

She was lucky to have Zepheira peeking in and finding her, almost in tears. Zye, helpful as ever, jumped in and found whatever was around. Together with Katie, she created a wonderful, rich dinner for The Council Of Twelve and their consorts:

Ingredients

3 cups cooked, shredded chicken (a rotisserie chicken works great for this recipe)
2 cans (10 ounces, each) cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1/2 cup light sour cream
1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 bag (12 ounces) frozen broccoli florets OR 2 cups fresh steamed chopped broccoli
salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with non-stick spray. Set aside.
In a large bowl, add the cooked shredded chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Then add in all the remaining ingredients. Gently stir to combine mixture. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Spread out evenly. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Serve with cooked rice or egg noodles! (we prefer the rice)

Source: https://life-in-the-lofthouse.com/creamy-chicken-and-broccoli-casserole/

Soul Taker Secrets – Valentine’s Dinner A La Katie

February 17, 2022February 15, 2022 ~ aurorajeanalexander ~ Leave a comment

Lately, we celebrated Valentine’s Day, the day for loved ones, and the ones that mean the most to us. Katie decided to have the Council Members over with their respective consorts. We know, our consorts love to cook together, but unfortunately, this year, the only one who had time to help Katie, was Simin. Sundance had to answer a call and Zepheira needed to take over a tracker class. That left our two consorts Simin and Katie with the dinner preparations.

They decided to take it easy and keep it light and served Easy Lemon Butter Fish with rice for dinner. Of course, the mandatory tiramisu followed the main course, but that goes without saying.

The ladies were complimented on their cooking, and the fish was excellent (because Simin made it). Since Katie took responsibility for the rice, it was a bit dry, but our Council members didn’t expect anything else and ate it like warriors do: without complaints or groaning.

(Of course, the Council of Twelve with consorts, is a group of 16 people… but this recipe I decided to show you for a group of four instead)

Ingredients

4 good-sized firm white fish fillets, about 6 inches long, 1-inch thickness (cod, halibut, or mahi would work well.)
3 TB melted butter (I use salted, but unsalted is fine)
Juice and zest from 1 medium lemon
1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus extra to taste
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 TB olive oil
freshly chopped basil or parsley leaves, for garnish and flavor
extra lemon slices for serving

Instructions

Use paper towels to thoroughly pat-dry excess moisture from fish fillets – this step is crucial for fish to brown nicely in pan. Set aside.
In a bowl, combine melted butter, lemon juice and zest, and 1/2 tsp kosher salt. Stir to combine well. Taste and add a bit more kosher salt, if desired.
In a separate bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 tsp kosher salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. Evenly press spice mixture onto all sides of fish fillets.
In a large, heavy pan over medium high heat, heat up the olive oil until hot. Once your oil is sizzling, Cook 2 fish fillets at a time to avoid overcrowding (allows for even browning.) Cook each side just until fish becomes opaque, feels somewhat firm in the center, and is browned – lightly drizzle some of the lemon butter sauce as you cook, reserving the rest for serving. Take care not to over-cook, as that will result in a tougher texture. Season with extra kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Serve fish with with remaining lemon butter sauce, basil or parsley, and lemon wedges.

Notes

** Be sure to use coarse kosher salt, not fine table salt. Kosher salt is much milder and less salty. ** The actual cook time varies, depending on type, cut, and starting temp of fish. Katie typically cooks about 3-4 minutes per side. She checks for doneness by lightly pressing fillet centers for firmness. Once it feels somewhat firm, it’s usually done. ** She served it with white lemon rice with parsley.

*Picture courtesy of ‘Chew Out Loud’. Full link below*

(Recipe Source: https://www.chewoutloud.com/easy-lemon-butter-fish-15-minutes/)

Soul Taker Secrets – Exotic Salad For Busy Council Members

October 14, 2021October 7, 2021 ~ aurorajeanalexander ~ 4 Comments

In the past ‘Soul Taker Secret’ posts, we learned that Katie loves cooking, not only for Raphael but all Council members with their consorts. Now, Katie is an enthusiastic cook, but not a particularly good one, even though she made progress by constant learning and her consort friends’ help.

With the help of her ‘sisters,’ Katie developed an exotic salad for the busy members of the ‘Council of Twelve.’

I heard they all loved it – and so do I.

Ingredients:

 – 1 1/3 cups brown rice

 – 5.29 ounces salmon (steamed)

- 2 slices fresh pineapple

- 1 mozzarella (ball)

 – 1 bunch fresh thyme

 – grated lemon peel (as needed)

 – salt

 – ground black pepper

Directions

Cook the rice in a stockpot full of boiling salted water for approximately 45 to 50 minutes.
Drain the rice and allow it to cool.
While the rice cools, prepare the dressing by steaming the salmon with lemon peel and thyme.
Cook the salmon for approximately 10 minutes, let it cool slightly, then break it up delicately into small pieces.
Next cut up the mozzarella into cubes and place it on a paper towel for 10 minutes.
Peel the pineapple and cut two slices into small cubes.
Plate the salad by placing the cooled rice in a large bowl, add the salmon pieces, the diced mozzarella and pineapple, some grated lemon peel, salt and pepper to taste, and the fresh thyme.
Refrigerate the salad for a few hours before serving.

(Source: https://www.yummly.com/recipe/Exotic-Salmon_-Mozzarella_-and-Pineapple-Salad-632343)

Soul Taker Secrets – Katie Cooks With Help

November 14, 2019November 7, 2019 ~ aurorajeanalexander ~ 5 Comments

We know that Katie loves to invite the ‘Council Of Twelve’ over for dinner. She cares for each one of the Council members and wants them more to feel like a real family. Now, we also know, Katie isn’t a naturally talented cook. But occasionally she gets help in the kitchen. If that happens, the Council members get dinner like that one:

Filet Mignon with Baked Potatoes and Garlic/Lemon-Broccoli

Picture and recipe courtesy of http://www.selfproclaimedfoodie.com

Ingredients

16 ounces filet mignon 2 steaks, about 2 inches thick, room temperature

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp pepper freshly ground

2 tablespoons butter Kerrygold recommended

2 cloves garlic smashed

2 sprigs rosemary

2 sprigs thyme

Instructions

Take steaks out of the refrigerator about an hour before you plan to cook them to allow them to come to room temperature. Coat both sides with salt and pepper. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Add butter, garlic, rosemary, and thyme to oven-safe stainless steel or cast iron pan.
Heat over medium-high to high heat. You want the pan to be as hot as you can get it without burning the butter. Allow butter to melt, swirling frequently to prevent burning. The more you move the butter around, the less it will burn.
As soon as the butter is melted, add both steaks to the hot pan. Sear 2-3 minutes on both sides, constantly spooning the hot butter onto the steaks, and only turn once after they get nicely browned. Do not let the butter burn – keep it moving. Insert the thermometer into thickest part of the steak and transfer pan with steaks to the hot oven.
Finish cooking in the hot oven. Remove when internal temperature reaches 120 degrees F for rare, 125 degrees F for medium-rare, and 130 degrees F for medium. This should take around 10 minutes. Allow steaks to rest in pan for at least 5 minutes (temperature should rise another 5 degrees).

Picture and recipe courtesy of http://www.spendwithpennies.com

Ingredients

4 russet potatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Scrub potatoes to remove any dirt or debris. Dab dry.
Poke holes over potatoes with a fork in about 5-6 places per potato.
Coat the outside of each potato with olive oil and salt.
Place potatoes directly on the middle rack of your oven and bake 50-60 minutes. (I place a small piece of foil on the rack below to catch any drippings).
Serve hot with your favorite toppings.

picture courtesy of Google.com / recipe courtesy of allrecipes.com

Ingredients

2 heads broccoli, separated into florets

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 clove garlic, minced

½ teaspoon lemon juice

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
In a large bowl, toss broccoli florets with the extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, pepper and garlic. Spread the broccoli out in an even layer on a baking sheet.
Bake in the preheated oven until florets are tender enough to pierce the stems with a fork, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove and transfer to a serving platter. Squeeze lemon juice liberally over the broccoli before serving for a refreshing, tangy finish.

Just in case you plan to cook Katies meal, let me know how it tastes, please.

Soul Taker Secrets: Katie’s European Cooking

October 21, 2019 ~ aurorajeanalexander ~ 4 Comments

Katie got a hint from one of the top angelic chefs in the warrior’s kitchens. With his help, she cooked an unusual kind of casserole in European style. Needless to say, the entire Council Of Twelve enjoyed that particular dinner enormously. Zachariel even went as far as to smirk and say: “This doesn’t taste half bad. Maybe there’s hope for your wife, Rafe.”

The pot:

This recipe needs a very particular European style pot, the so-called “Romertopf”. The pot can be ordered on Amazon. It isn’t a cheap product. But it’s a fantastic way to cook healthy and collect the food’s own taste.

Check out the Romertopf (and order) here

The casserole:

You will need:

1 pound of potatoes (or baby potatoes)

3 or 4 big tomatoes

1 big onion or 10 – 12 scallions

1 pack of dried apricots

6 chicken drumsticks

1 cup chicken broth

1 tsp unsalted butter

salt, pepper, paprika

Instructions:

Take the pot: read its instructions carefully: if it’s a pure clay pot, water it sufficiently before starting to cook. If it’s glazed, like mine, just butter it with the tablespoon of butter. It’s easy to clean. (But NOT dishwasher-proof!!)

2. Prepare the potatoes. Wash them, peel them and cut them into cubes. (or do it as I did with the baby potatoes, which I didn’t peel and cut them into 4 to 6 pieces. Cut the tomatoes into pieces, peel the scallions, or peel and cut the onion into small pieces. Prepare the cup of chicken broth.

3. Prepare the chicken drumsticks, unpack them, wash them, dab them dry and season them with only a bit of salt, pepper, and paprika, on both sides. You can also buy a whole chicken and cut it into 4 – 6 pieces. (I decided on drumsticks because, as much as I like chicken, I’m not a doctor and autopsies aren’t my favorite thing to do.)

4. Fill the bottom of your pot with the small cut onion, the potatoes, the dried apricots, and the broth. On top put the drumsticks. Cover the pot and put it into the cold oven. Heat it up to 425 degrees F and leave it for 50 minutes.

5. After these 50 minutes, add the tomatoes to the pot, cover it again and leave it for another 15 – 20 minutes.