"Snow provokes responses that reach back to childhood" - unknown
1 large whole chicken, cut into pieces
1/4 cup dry white wine
Chicken stock (good quality) plus some of the stock made when cooking the chicken
1/2 lemon, squeezed
3 large whole carrots, sliced
2 large stalks celery, sliced
1 white onion, diced
1 large leek, sliced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. fresh thyme
1/2 cup fresh parsley, rough chopped
16 oz. egg noodles (fresh or frozen)
3 scallions, sliced thinly including green part (garnish)
In a large pot add chicken and just cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 30 minutes. Remove chicken from pot and let cool slightly. Pull meat from bones and shred slightly. Strain stock in pot, pour stock back into pot, add some of the prepared chicken stock from ingredient list, add wine, carrots, celery, onions, leeks, herbs and salt and pepper. Simmer for about 30 minutes. Increase heat and add egg noodles and chicken and cook for about 10 minutes until noodles are cooked. Taste and adjust seasonings. Add lemon juice and stir. To serve ladle into bowls or large serving bowl and garnish with scallions. Serve with hot biscuits.
Robust Lamb (or I have used chicken before)
1 lb. lamb shoulder or leg cut into 1-inch pieces
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 small red onion, diced
3 fresh thyme sprigs, stems removed
6 canned anchovies
1 tsp. sugar
2/3 cup red wine
1 cup beef or chicken stock (good rich quality)
1/2 cup black olives, pitted and halved
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped (garnish)
1 Tbl. butter
olive oil
In a large saute pan, add oil, butter and lamb cooking for about 6 minutes or until meat is nicely browned. In a blender add garlic, thyme and anchovies and pulse to form a paste. Add wine and stock to the pan and stir in the garlic paste with the sugar. Bring to a boil and reduce heat and simmer covered for about 35 minutes or until the lamb is tender. During the last 10 minutes of cooking remove the lid for sauce to reduce slightly. Stir in the olives and mix to combine. Pour lamb mixture into a serving bowl or platter and garnish with parsley. Serve with mashed potatoes and steamed green beans topped with slivers of lightly toasted almonds. You also need some good bread (French, pita or whatever type you enjoy to get all those juices).
Delicious Salad with Herbs and Creamy Lemon Dressing
Dressing
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 lemons, zested and juiced
2 tsp. Dijon
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup sour cream
Croutons
Salad
3 heads butter lettuce torn, washed and spun dry
1/4 cup each; rough chopped parsley, basil and chives
12 large radishes, sliced
4 beautiful ruby red tomatoes, sliced
2 large Haas avocados, peeled, pitted and sliced
Optional; thinly sliced cooked steak or chicken
Dressing; in a bowl add garlic, lemon juice, zest, Dijon and slowly whisk in olive oil to combine, season salt and freshly ground black pepper, whisk in sour cream. Place cleaned torn lettuce onto a serving platter, toss with herbs, add radishes, tomatoes and avocados, top with sliced steak or chicken if desired, top with croutons and pour over dressing. Serve remaining dressing on side.
Turkey Sausage and Mushroom Pasta (one of my daughters favorite pastas)
1 1/2 lb. hot Italian turkey sausages, casings removed
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 box button mushrooms, sliced
1 cup dried porcini mushrooms
1 cup hot water
1 tsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
1/4 tsp. dried red pepper flakes
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup chicken stock (good quality)
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 package penne pasta
1/2 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
Italian parsley, chopped
Place the porcini's in a sieve and rinse well. Place them into a bowl and pour over hot water and let soak for about 15 to 20 minutes to soften. Drain well, chop porcinis and discard stems. In a large saute pan, add some olive oil, add onion and cook until softened. Add garlic and sausage, breaking up the sausage as it cooks. Add the button mushrooms, rosemary, and red pepper flakes, season with salt and pepper. Add the porcini mushrooms wine, and chicken stock boil until almost all liquid evaporates. In a large pot of boiling salted water add pasta and cook al dente, drain well and add to pan with sausage mixture. Stir in cream, taste and adjust seasonings. Add about 1/4 cup of Parmesan and mix well. Place pasta onto a large serving platter and sprinkle with the rest of the cheese parsley. Serve with a salad, bread and white wine.
Rich and Flavorful Chicken
8 to 10 pieces of chicken, skin removed
olive oil
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup water
2 bay leaves
olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
1 tsp. fresh ginger, finely chopped
2 tsp. garam masala
2 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. chili powder
2 garlic cloves, crushed
salt
3 green cardamoms
3 black peppercorns
2/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 Tbl. tomato paste
2/3 cup whipping cream
Garnish
Fresh cilantro, chopped
2 fresh green chilies, chopped
In a large saute pan, add some olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add onions and stir until golden brown. Reduce heat. Add ginger into a bowl, add garam masala, ground coriander, chili powder, garlic, salt, cardamoms and peppercorns and blend. Add the yogurt and tomato paste and stir to combine. Add the chicken pieces to the yogurt and spices and coat well. Add the chicken to the onions in the saute pan an stir fry vigorously for about 7 minutes. Add the water and bay leaves and let simmer 30 minutes stirring occasionally. Add the cream and cook for another 15 minutes. Remove to serving platter and garnish with cilantro and chilies. Serve with cooked rice and a refreshing salad. Warm naan bread is a great accompaniment too.
Winter Salad with Butternut Squash - this is one of my favorites
3 cups arugula
1 head frisee, torn into pieces (love this)
3 cups butternut squash, medium dice
1/2 cup prosciutto, cut into pieces
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup feta cheese
1/2 cup hazelnuts, lightly toasted and rough chopped
2 Tbl. fresh chives, snipped
croutons
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Dressing - you will have extra to enjoy
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup pure maple syrup
2 garlic cloves
1 Tbl. Dijon
1/2 Tbl. grainy mustard
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place butternut squash on baking sheet and toss with 2 Tbl. olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake about 20 minutes or until tender. For the salad combine all ingredients on a platter. Dressing; In a blender add maple syrup, garlic, mustard's, vinegar, salt, pepper and pulse, drizzle in oil to combine while motor is running. Drizzle some of the dressing over salad. Refrigerate extra dressing. Serve with soup and rolls.
Wonderful, Flavorful French Onion Soup (I use a very rich chicken stock, as I don't care for beef stock)
1 cup white wine
1/2 cup sherry (good quality that you would drink)
1 cube butter
4 to 5 large yellow onions, julienned
2 bay leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 sprigs fresh parsley
5 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 qts. beef stock (good quality) or very rich chicken stock
1 French baguette, sliced into 12 thick slices
2 garlic cloves
6 cups Gruyere cheese, shredded
In a large Dutch oven, add butter and onions, cooking on medium so onions turn a beautiful caramelized brown color. You will need to be stirring them and making sure they don't burn. Once they have turned that beautiful caramel color, add beef stock to pot. Tie the parsley sprigs and thyme sprigs together with kitchen twine and drop those into the stock with the bay leaves. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Add wine and sherry and simmer about 10 minutes. Remove bay leaves, parsley and thyme. Taste soup and adjust seasonings add salt and freshly ground black pepper. Rub the baguette slices with garlic cloves and pastry brush them with a little olive oil and place under broiler until light golden brown. Gather 6 heatproof individual soup tureens and place evenly the onion, stock mixture into each and place onto a baking sheet. Add baguette slices on top of each soup and generously add shredded cheese. Place baking sheet with bowls under broiler so the cheese gets melted, gooey and light golden brown. Serve with a nice tossed salad and a glass of red wine for a simply delicious beautiful meal.
My Favorite Roast Chicken with Rosemary and Lemon
1 (4 to 5 lb.) chicken, rinsed and patted dry
olive oil
16 pearl onions, peeled and trimmed
5 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
4 celery stalks, cut into 2-inch pieces
3 cloves of garlic
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbl. lemon zest
2 Tbl. fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 Tbl. fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 tsp. fresh thyme, finely chopped
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock (good quality)
1 lemon sliced in half
1 leek, washed and sliced in half (use only the white and pale green part
1 rosemary sprig
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Heat 2 Tbl. of olive oil in a large, heavy saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic cloves, pinch of salt, and pepper, cooking, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes. Next, spoon the vegetables along the sides of a large roasting pan and set it aside.
Reduce the heat in the pan adding 2 Tbl. olive oil to pan and return the pan to medium-high heat. Season the cleaned chicken with salt and pepper, and brown on all sides in the hot oil using tongs to turn chicken. Transfer the chicken to the center of the roasting pan, and with a sharp paring knife cut 1-inch slits into the skin, and pour the pan juices on top of the chicken. Carefully pull open the slits in the skin and rub the lemon zest, parsley, rosemary, and thyme under the skin. Add the sliced leek, sprig of rosemary and sliced lemon to the cavity of the chicken.
Add the wine to the saute pan and deglaze, scraping up any browned bits from the pan. After the wine has simmered for 30 seconds, add the chicken stock and heat through. Pour the wine sauce over the chicken. Cover the roasting pan with tightly sealed foil and roast in the oven for about 1 1/2 hours or until the chicken tests 170 when a thermometer is inserted in the thigh. Remove foil the last 10 minutes of cooking, then remove chicken from oven and allow chicken to stand at room temperature in the pan for 10 minutes before carving. If desired you can also add peeled potatoes chopped in large pieces to the pan and let them cook with the chicken. Serve with the roasted vegetables, potatoes and a simple tossed salad. A glass of white wine goes great with this meal.
Easy Roasted Tomato Soup
1 (14 oz.) can Cento tomatoes (drain and save liquid)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 stalk celery, finely diced
1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
1 red onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups chicken stock (good quality)
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
fresh chives, snipped (garnish)
Homemade croutons (garnish)
Creamy Baked Potato Soup with Bacon, Scallions and Cheese
2 1/2 lbs. Russet potatoes or Yukon Gold
1/2 lb. thick cut bacon
2 Tbl. butter
1 medium yellow onion, finely minced
2 Tbl. all purpose flour
3 cups milk
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Tabasco
3 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 bunch scallions, sliced including green part
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Wash and pat dry potatoes then place in oven for about 1 hour or until fork tender to bake. After potatoes are baked, remove from oven and allow to cool slightly (so you can handle them) then cut into chunks (peel then if you want). In a Dutch oven, add sliced bacon and cook until browned and slightly crisp, remove to paper towels to drain. Remove most of the bacon fat and add the onions cooking until softened, but not browned. Add butter and melt, then add flour and whisk together making a roux. Add the chicken stock and whisk well with the roux. Whisk in the milk and add cooked, chopped potatoes cooking for a few minutes. Stir in salt, pepper, Tabasco, cheese and half of the scallions and whipping cream stirring to combine. Stir in half of the cooked bacon, taste and adjust seasonings. Carefully remove the Dutch oven from the stove, and top with remaining bacon and scallions. Add a ladle and place on the table (remember to use hot pads). Serve with a tossed salad and garlic bread for a complete meal.
Rich Chocolate Yumminess Squares
Filling
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 (3 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup sugar
6 eggs
1/3 cup whipping cream
2 tsp. instant coffee granules
9 (1 oz) semisweet chocolate baking squares
1 Tbl. pure vanilla extract
Garnish; powdered sugar
Crust;
1/3 cup butter
2 (1 oz.) semisweet chocolate baking squares
1 1/3 cups chocolate cookie crumbs, finely crushed
- Crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir together butter and chocolate in a medium-size heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring often, 3 to 5 minutes or until chocolate is melted. Remove from heat, and stir in chocolate crumbs until well blended. Press mixture onto bottom of a lightly greased 9-inch square pan. Bake for 8 minutes. Cool on a wire rack 15 minutes. Chill 30 minutes.
- Filling: In a large mixing bowl beat cream cheese and sugar for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating to just combine. In a bowl microwave whipping cream on high for about 30 seconds or until very hot. Stir in coffee granules until completely dissolved, cool mixture slightly. Over a double boiler add chocolate and melt. Add melted chocolate, vanilla and coffee mixture to cream cheese mixture beating on low speed just until blended. Pour mixture into prepared crust. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until edges are firm and center is still soft. Let cool to room temperature, then cover and chill about 8 hours. Cut into squares and dust with powdered sugar if desired.
White Chocolate Bread Pudding with Sauce (absolutely love this)
1 cup whole milk
1 cup half and half
10 oz. white baking chocolate bar with cocoa butter (good quality )
1 vanilla bean
5 eggs
2/3 cup sugar or honey (I use honey)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
6 cups French bread cubed
1/2 cup dried cherries
Freshly whipped cream
Freshly whipped cream
Sauce
1 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
4 egg yolks, beaten
1/4 cup whiskey
For sauce; in a saucepan add butter to melt, add sugar and stir until bubbly and combined. Remove from heat and whisk in yolks, return to heat stirring constantly about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in whiskey. To serve; if the sauce is too thick, add 1 tsp. of hot water whisked in to desired consistency.
Pudding; In a saucepan, heat and stir milk and half and half, along with half of the white chocolate and vanilla bean over low heat until just simmering and chocolate is melted. Remove from heat. Remove vanilla bean. Using a sharp paring knife, split vanilla bean lengthwise. Using the knife tip, scrape out seeds. Stir seeds into the milk mixture. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, sugar and cinnamon until just combined. Gradually add milk mixture to egg mixture, stirring constantly. In an ungreased 2-quart square baking dish, toss together bread cubes, remaining white chocolate, and dried cherries. Pour milk mixture evenly over bread mixture. Press mixture lightly with back of a large spoon. Cover baking dish with foil and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Place baking dish in another larger pan. Pour hot water into large dish to reach 1 inch up side of dish. Bake, covered, in a 350 degree oven about 60 minutes or until top appears evenly set. Cool slightly on a wire rack. To serve; scoop out portions of the bread pudding and place into serving bowls, drizzle with sauce and top with a dollop of freshly made whipping cream then dust with just a touch of cinnamon or fresh nutmeg.
Bon Appetit
"We know that God caused everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." - Romans 8:28
"What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won't he also give us everything else?" - Romans 8 31-32
Bon Appetit
"We know that God caused everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." - Romans 8:28
"What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won't he also give us everything else?" - Romans 8 31-32
No comments:
Post a Comment