Tomato Soup

Courtesy of  Chef Cristin, www.BeMyGuestPersonalChef.com

This is a great recipe, however, if you don’t have time to make soup yourself, stop by the store and purchase a quart of Chef Mike’s delicious tomato soup.

Ingredients:

• 1 (14-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
• 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1 small carrot, diced
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 cup heavy cream, optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Strain the chopped canned tomatoes, reserving the juices, and spread onto a baking sheet, season with salt and pepper, to taste, drizzle with 1/4 cup of the olive oil and roast until caramelized, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat remaining olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the celery, carrot, onion and garlic, cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the roasted chopped canned tomatoes, reserved tomato juices, chicken broth, bay leaf and butter. Simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add basil and cream, if using. Puree with a hand held immersion blender until smooth.

Chicken Wings in Peanut Sauce

Courtesy of  Chef Tiffany, www.SimplyNutritiousMeals.com

Try these savory wings with such unique and exciting flavoring.  Everyone will rave about them.

Ingredients:

4 lb chicken wings, halved at joint
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced

For sauce
2 tablespoons natural peanut butter
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons Asian fish sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 500°F.

Pat wings dry and toss with oil, ginger, and garlic.

Arrange wings, thick-skin sides up, in 1 layer in a large shallow baking pan and roast in upper third of oven 25 minutes.

Turn on broiler and broil wings, turning once, until nicely browned and crisp, 10 to 15 minutes.

Make sauce while wings cook:
Whisk together sauce ingredients in a large bowl until blended.

Add wings to sauce and toss until coated. Enjoy!!

Lemon Chicken Recipe

Courtesy of  Chef Cristin, www.BeMyGuestPersonalChef.com

Overheard at the market, “I’m a breast girl.” “Really? I’m definitely a thigh girl,” pause…”dark meat, so much more flavor.” Had to laugh, I’m so so so much a thigh girl myself. Here is the secret to fabulous lemon chicken – use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (or legs, but thighs are easier to eat). Lemon is acidic and greatly benefits from the balance of the stronger flavor of the dark meat in thighs and legs, and the fat from the chicken skin. You don’t have to eat the skin (my father doesn’t, he gives them to me, score!), but cook with them on for the flavor.

Ingredients:

●        3-4 pounds chicken parts (thighs and legs recommended), skin-on, bone-in, trimmed of excess fat

●        2 Tbsp lemon zest

●        1/3 cup lemon juice

●        2 cloves garlic, crushed

●        2 Tbsp fresh chopped thyme (or 2 teaspoons dried)

●        1 Tbsp fresh chopped rosemary (or 1 teaspoon dried)

●        1 teaspoons salt

●        1 teaspoon black pepper

●        2-3 Tbsp melted butter

●        Lemon slices for garnish

Directions:

Place lemon juice, lemon peel, garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper in a small bowl, whisk to combine.

With the tip of a sharp knife, cut into each chicken piece one or two times by about 1/2 an inch. (This will help the marinade penetrate.)

Place the chicken pieces and the marinade in a gallon-sized freezer bag. Rotate the bag so that all chicken pieces are coated with the marinade. Seal the bag and place in a bowl in the refrigerator (in case of leakage). Let marinate for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 425°F. Remove chicken from marinade and place in a single layer in a large baking dish, skin side up. Reserve the marinade. Use a pastry brush to brush a little melted butter on to each piece of chicken.

Bake for a total of 50 to 55 minutes, until the skins are crispy brown, and the chicken is cooked through, juices running clear (breasts have an internal temperature of 165°F and thighs 175°F). Half-way through the baking, at about the 25 minute mark, baste the chicken pieces generously with reserved marinade.

Depending on the size of the breasts, they may be ready before the thighs, so if you are cooking a mix of chicken parts, keep that in mind, you may have to take them out of the oven before the thighs.

Let rest, covered in foil, for 10 minutes before serving.

Pour the juices from the pan into a serving bowl. Use a tablespoon to skim the fat off the top (save the fat for cooking with later, or discard, but do not discard down the drain or it will solidify and clog your drain). Serve the chicken with the juices on the side or a little poured over the top of the chicken.

Smothered Pork Chops

Courtesy of Tyler Florence

I love this recipe. I made it for my in-laws when they were up visiting, and it was a hit. I’ve made this recipe about 4 times now, and it never disappoints. I love the gravy. I use milk instead of buttermilk, since I never seem to have buttermilk on hand.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons onion powder
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 pork chops, 3/4-inch thick, bone-in
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Directions:

Put the flour in a shallow platter and add the onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper; mix with a fork to distribute evenly.

Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels to remove any moisture and then dredge them in the seasoned flour; shaking off the excess.

Heat a large sauté pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat and coat with the oil.

When the oil is nice and hot, lay the pork chops in the pan in a single layer and fry for 3 minutes on each side until golden brown.

Remove the pork chops from the pan and add a little sprinkle of seasoned flour to the pan drippings.

Mix the flour into the fat to dissolve and then pour in the chicken broth in.

Chicken and Dumpling Soup Recipe

Courtesy of  www.chickensouprecipes.org

Most chicken noodle soup recipies are long on nutrition and short on flavor. This unique recipe combines the zing of lemon zest and cilantro, along with warmer flavors of cumin and cinnamon. These hearty dumplings are from a Polish family recipe. Adding the right amount of baking soda is crucial to achieving the right texture and consistency. Busy cooks can easily double the recipe, divide it into individual containers, and freeze for a quick lunch or dinner.

Serves 6, Prep Time: 15 Minutes, Total Time: ½ Hour

Ingredients:

Soup Base

- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 5 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- Salt and ground pepper to taste
- 1 onion halved and chopped
- 4 teaspoons minced garlic
- ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¾ teaspoon ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 medium carrots cut into ¼-in-thick slices
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 15 ounces, 1 can chickpeas
- Juice from one lemon
- 3 tablespoons cilantro leaves, chopped

Dumpling Recipe

- 3 whole eggs
- ~2 ½ cups white flour
- 1-teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

1. Add oil to a heavy saucepan or Dutch oven. Set stove temperature to medium-high. Prepare chicken by seasoning with salt and pepper. Brown the skin side of the chicken in the saucepan for approximately six minutes. Flip the chicken and cook for an additional five minutes on the other side. Leave the fat in the saucepan, and transfer chicken to a plate.

2. Discard all but two tablespoons of the fat in the bottom of the saucepan. After discarding the excess oil, sauté the onion and garlic until the onions take on a translucent appearance. (This will take about four minutes.) Add the garlic, cumin, coriander, and cinnamon. Stir briefly until you can smell the garlic. (About 1 minute.) Stir in carrots and add broth. Add the chicken pieces back into the saucepan.

3. Put the saucepan over high heat and bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and partially cover the saucepan. Cook until chicken is tender and separates easily from the bone. (About 50 minutes.)

4. Take the chicken out of the soup. When the chicken has cooled, tear it into large pieces. Remove the skin and bones, and discard them. Return the chicken pieces to the pot.

5. Add eggs to a mixing bowl and whisk with a fork for one minute.

6. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking soda. Slowly add to eggs until thick but sticky consistency is reached. Add more flour if necessary. Dumpling dough should be sticky, but not too dry.

7. Bring soup to a boil. Dip a large spoon into the boiling broth. While the spoon is still hot, scoop up a piece of dumpling dough and drop into the boiling soup. Repeat with equal sized pieces of dough until there is none left. Dumplings are cooked when they float to the top of the broth.

8. Add chickpeas, and season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Sprinkle lemon zest, extra garlic, and cilantro over the soup before serving.

Chicken Breasts in Champagne Sauce Recipe

Courtesy of Judith and Even Jones,  L.L. Bean Book of New New England Cookery

Champagne, mushrooms, and cream make a creamy sauce for chicken breasts. Cooked stove-top in a skillet, you can have this on the table in under 30 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 2 whole chicken breasts, boned
• Salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 4 Tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup finely diced fennel or celery
• 1/2 cup finely diced white part of leeks
• 3/4 cup finely diced mushrooms
• 1/4 cup or more chicken broth
• Flour for dusting
• 2/3 cup champagne
• 2/3 cup heavy cream

Directions:

Cut the 2 whole chicken breasts in half to make 4 pieces.

Remove the skin and any bits of fat.

Season lightly with salt and pepper on both sides, then place the breasts between 2 sheets of wax paper and flatten lightly and evenly with a meat pounder or heavy bottle.

In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons butter and sauté the fennel or celery, leeks, and mushrooms over low heat for 1 minute, stirring, then add the broth, salt lightly, cover, and cook very gently about 5 minutes, or until almost tender; check to see if more broth is needed – the vegetables should not brown.

Push the vegetables to the edges of the skillet and add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter.

Quickly dredge the chicken breasts in flour, shaking off the excess, and add them to the pan.

Sauté them gently 30 seconds on one side, then turn them, strew the vegetables on top, and add the champagne.

After it has boiled up for a few seconds, stir in the cream, cover, reduce heat, and cook gently 5 minutes.

The sauce will have thickened; if it is too thick, stir in a little more broth or cream.

Taste and correct the seasoning if necessary.

Root Vegetable Chips With Roasted Garlic Dip

Courtesy of Katie Brown, featured in Americans Cook

Root vegetables are being enjoyed as an appetizer because of their bright colors, unusual flavors, and versatility.  This recipe was taken from the Americans Cook, cook book, published by Girl Scout troop # 2738, Chappaqua, NY. Learn more at http://www.amazon.com/Americans-Cook-Felice-Kaufman/dp/0615131441

For the Chips:

Ingredients:

2 quarts oil/shortening for frying

2 beets

2 carrots

2 sweet potatoes

2 parsnips

salt

Directions:

Peel and thinly slice all the vegetables using a mandolin or a V-slicer

Heat oil to 350-375 degrees.  If too hot, the chips will burn, if too cool, the chips will be soggy.

Fry the cut vegetables in batches, making sure not to crowd the pot.

They should cook about 1 – 1½ minutes per batch.

Remove and drain the chips on a cookie sheet with several layers of paper towel.

Sprinkle with salt, to taste, immediately.

For the Roasted Garlic:

Ingredients:

2 heads of garlic.

1 teaspoon olive oil.

1 small onion, finely minced

2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped.

1 pint sour cream

Salt and pepper.

Directions:

Slice the top of the garlic head off.

Rub the cut garlic with olive oil.

Wrap the head in foil, keeping it upright.

Bake at 400 degrees for 35-45 minutes, until the gloves are golden and soft.

When cool, squeeze the cloves out into a bowl.

Mash them with a fork.

Add onion, parsley and sour cream.

Mix well.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

I think this recipe produces a sophisticated, subtle and unique hor d’oeuvre. That said, I was hoping for more flavorful eggs (when I had them poached at a restaurant they were incredible–perhaps the difference in how they were prepared). Also, used prepared black truffles that were not particularly “truffley”…which was disappointing. And finally, I encountered similar problem with the shell and membrane sticking and being quite difficult to peel. I think next time I would steam the eggs rather than boil — makes traditional eggs MUCH easier to peel and might make it easier with such small, fragile eggs. Ultimately, the were excellent and everyone thoroughly enjoyed them.

Ingredients:

50 g (1 1/2 oz) fresh or preserved black winter truffles*

1/4 cup hazelnut oil

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

24 quail eggs

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives

Garnish: finely chopped fresh chives

Special equipment: a 3/4-inch round cutter and a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch plain tip

Directions:

Very thinly slice truffles with a truffle slicer or other small manual slicer or with a sharp thin knife.

Cut out 48 circles from slices with round cutter.

Mince enough scraps to measure 1 tablespoon and reserve with 2 teaspoons juice from jar if using preserved truffles.

Whisk oil into lemon juice in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper.

Spoon 1½ tablespoons of vinaigrette into another small bowl and add truffle circles.

Marinate truffle circles, covered and chilled, 1 hour, or until ready to use.

While truffle circles are marinating, cover quail eggs with water by 1 inch in a small saucepan. Simmer, covered, 5 minutes, then refresh under cold water to stop cooking. Peel eggs and halve lengthwise.

Carefully push out yolks and mash with chives, minced truffles (and any juice if using preserved truffles), and remaining vinaigrette to create a paste.

Season with salt and pepper and transfer mixture to pastry bag fitted with tip. Chill deviled yolks in bag until ready to use.

Arrange egg white halves on a platter and pipe in just enough deviled yolks to fill holes (do not mound). Cover each yolk with a truffle circle.

Cooks’ notes:

·Truffles, vinaigrette, egg white halves, and deviled yolks may be prepared 1 day ahead and chilled separately. (Cover whites with plastic wrap.)
·Although best assembled right before serving, hors d’oeuvres can be chilled, covered with plastic wrap, up to 2 hours.

Chicken and Dumplings

Courtesy of www.MomsWhoThink.com

When you make this chicken and dumplings recipe you find out very quickly the secret to culinary happiness that great cooks know. They know that it’s not a waste of kitchen skills to make a tasty dish from another era. They know that you can take care of your soul in a world that tells your body to keep going at full speed, just by turning a few simple ingredients into a nourishing meal.

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken, cut up (3-4 pounds)
8 cups water
3 medium carrots (diced)
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
parsley
poultry seasoning

Cream of Chicken Soup Ingredients:

3/4 cups additional chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon parsley
dash of paprika
3/4 cups milk
1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons flour

Dumpling Ingredients:

2 cups flour
1 cup milk (whole milk)
1 Tablespoon baking powder
3 Tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 tsp. salt

Directions:

1. Place chicken in a large pot with celery, carrots, parsley, thyme, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper to taste. Cover with 8 cups of water.

2. Simmer for one hour, until tender. Remove the chicken and cool enough to remove the meat from the bone.

3. Return chicken meat to pot and broth.

4. Make the cream of chicken soup by boiling in a medium-sized saucepan: the 3/4 cups additional chicken broth, 1/2 of the milk, and the seasonings for about 2 minutes.

5. In a bowl, whisk together the remaining milk and flour. Add to boiling mixture and continue whisking briskly until mixture boils and thickens.

6. Add the cream of chicken soup to the chicken meat and broth in the large pot and simmer gently.

7. To make the dumplings mix flour, baking powder and salt. Work in the butter with fingertips. Gradually add the milk.

8. Roll into golf ball sized balls, then flatten to 1/2 inch thickness.

9. Drop carefully into the hot broth and simmer the chicken and dumplings 10 minutes longer, making sure to ladle broth over the dumplings to submerge them as they cook.

Turkey Pasta Casserole With Asparagus and Cheddar Cheese

Courtesy of Diana Rattray, About.com Guide

Great recipe for leftover turkey.

I used mini penne pasta in this hearty casserole, but elbow macaroni or small shells would work just as well. It’s a great casserole to serve for an after-the-holiday meal, or make it for a potluck dinner.

Ingredients:

8 ounces mini penne pasta or similar shape

6 tablespoons butter

6 tablespoons flour

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

2 cups milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning blend, or to taste

cooked asparagus, cut in 1-inch pieces, about 2 cups

3 cups diced cooked turkey

8 ounces shredded Sharp Cheddar cheese

1 cup soft bread crumbs

1 tablespoon melted butter

Directions:

Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Heat oven to 350°.

Cook pasta in boiling water following package directions.

In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter

Add bell pepper and sauté until tender.

Add garlic and green onion; sauté for 1 minute longer.

Stir in flour until well blended.

Stir in chicken broth, cooking until thickened.

Stir in milk; continue cooking, stirring frequently, until thickened and hot.

Add seasonings, asparagus, and turkey and heat through.

Stir in cheese and cook until melted.

Stir in the cooked drained pasta and pour into the prepared baking dish.

Toss bread crumbs with 1 tablespoon melted butter and sprinkle over top.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.