Chicken Stock

Chicken Stock

5 pounds chicken bones from roasted chicken
Salt and black pepper
4 tablespoons chicken seasoning (such as Mrs. Dash)
6 cloves garlic, smashed
1 onion, coursely chopped
Cold water

Combine ingredients in a large stockpot. Add enough water to cover bones. Then, simmer covered for 4 hours. Periodically check for scum formation, skim and remove. Add additional water if too much has boiled away. Following 4 hour period, strain solids. Refrigerate stock until ready to use.

Spicy Chicken Tortilla Soup

Spicy Chicken Tortilla Soup

4 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons chili lime seasoning
Salt
1/2 cup Louisiana hot sauce
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups cooked shredded chicken
tortilla chips
1/2 habanero pepper, seeds removed
2 tablespoons tomato paste

In a stockpot, saute onions and salt in olive oil until tender. Then, add chicken stock, garlic, and salt. Allow to come to a boil, and add chili lime seasoning, hot sauce, tomato paste, and habanero pepper. Simmer over medium heat, covered, for approximately 10 minutes. Then, add chicken, and allow to boil for an additional 5 minutes. Serve in individual bowls with crumbled tortilla chips. Enjoy!

Cheesy Potato Soup

Unlike most versions of cheesy potato soup, this recipe is much more heart-healthy. Substituting neufchatel cheese for heavy cream reduces the fat content while providing a tangy and delicious flavor. This soup is comforting, hearty, and delicious, and great to come home to on a cold winter day.   

Cheesy Potato Soup

8 small to medium baking potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
8 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 teaspoon dried dill
4 cups water
4 cups chicken stock
4 oz. neufchatel cheese
1.5 cups cheddar cheese, grated
salt
Louisiana-style hot sauce
chives or green onions, chopped

In a stockpot, add salt, and saute onions and potatoes in olive oil over medium heat, covered for 5-10 minutes. Then, add water, garlic, and additional salt. Cover, and allow to simmer for 30-45 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Next, add butter, dill, and stir. Then, puree mixture in a blender, or use a potato masher until smooth. Add chicken stock following this step, and allow the soup to come to a boil, and add neufchatel cheese. Stir, and cover until cheese has melted. Finally, remove pot from heat, and slowly add cheddar cheese. Stir continuously until evenly incorporated and smooth. Serve topped with Louisiana hot sauce and green onions, if desired. Enjoy!

Sardine Salad

Sardine Salad

4 oz. sardines (canned, or fresh, cooked)
1/4 cup Vidalia onions, chopped finely
1 teaspoon course ground mustard with horseradish
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon capers
1 small clove garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

With a fork, slightly mash sardines. Then, add remaining ingredients, and mix. Serve with crackers, tortilla chips, or bread if desired. Enjoy!

Balsamic Glazed Salmon with Spinach and Sweet Potato Fries

Balsamic Glazed Salmon with Spinach and Sweet Potato Fries

1 pound salmon filet, salted and peppered
4 cloves garlic, chopped
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt
4 sweet potatoes, medium sized
2 cups spinach

In a frying pan with 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, add potatoes and salt. Allow to cook, covered, for about 15-20 minutes, or until tender. When they begin to become tender, remove cover, and allow to fry until crispy, or another 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a saute pan with 2 tablespoons olive oil, add salmon, and allow to cook covered for about 10 minutes. After it has completed cooking, remove it, and allow to cool. Then, add garlic cloves in the remaining bits and oil. Remove pan from burner, and allow to cook for 3 minutes. Then, add the balsamic vinegar, and stir. After this, cut salmon into 4 ounce portions. 

In another pan, saute spinach in remaining olive oil with 1 clove of garlic.

To plate, add spinach to plates, and place salmon on the bed of spinach, and top with balsamic glaze. Then, place sweet potatoes to the side of the salmon. Enjoy!

Miso Soup

Miso Soup

1 pound flat rice noodles, cooked
salt
20 cups chicken stock
1 cup wakame seaweed
1/2 cup miso
1 cup shitake mushrooms, sliced thinly
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pound chicken breast, cooked and shredded
tamari or regular soy sauce
3 green onion stalks, sliced
1/2 habanero pepper

In a stockpot, saute mushrooms with tamari and salt. Cover, and allow to cook for 2 minutes. Then, add garlic and habanero pepper. Continue to cook (covered) for another minute. Next, add chicken stock and additional tamari. Allow to come to a boil, then add noodles and chicken.

Next, add some of the stock from the stockpot to the miso, and stir until the mixture is evenly incorporated. Add this to the stockpot with wakame. Finally, top with green onions and serve. Enjoy!

Lemon Coho Salmon over Sautéed Spinach and Fried Potatoes

Lemon Coho Salmon over Sautéed Spinach and Fried Potatoes

For the salmon:
1 pound Coho salmon filets (or any other variety)
juice from 1/2 lemon
salt
black pepper
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

For the potatoes:
3 large red potatoes, cubed
2 cloves garlic, chopped
salt
black pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

For the spinach:
4 cups fresh spinach
salt
black pepper

In a cast iron skillet, saute potatoes in olive oil with salt and black pepper. Cover, and allow the potatoes to sweat. Continue to cook until tender, or about 20-25 minutes. Do not add the garlic until the last 3-5 minutes.

While the potatoes cook, in a frying pan with olive oil, saute the salmon (skin side down) covered for approximately 3-5 minutes, or until desired tenderness is reached.

Meanwhile, in another frying pan, saute spinach, add salt, and black pepper. Cook for 3 minutes.

Serve salmon on spinach bed, with potatoes on side. Enjoy!

Filet Mignon for Two

Filet Mignon for Two

2 filet mignon steaks, 4-6 oz. each
salt
black pepper
extra-virgin olive oil

In a frying pan, saute steaks on one side with olive oil. Allow to cook covered for 2-3 minutes on each side (depending on desired level of tenderness). Turn steaks over (only do this once), and finish cooking uncovered for 2-3 minutes. Enjoy!

Tomato Masala Chicken

Tomato Masala Chicken

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
5 cloves
2 cardamom pods
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 Indian bay leaf
5 black peppercorns
1 tablespoon curry powder
1/4 cup red wine
1 onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Salt
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

In a stockpot, sauté onions in olive oil with bay leaf, peppercorns, cloves, cardamom, and coriander seeds. When the onions are carmelized, deglaze the pan with red wine, and add garlic. Then, add 1/4 cup of water, chicken, salt, and curry powder. Cover and cook for 6 minutes. Next, add tomato paste, and allow chicken to finish cooking. The sauce should be thick, so uncover if necessary. Serve with rice, rotli, or naan.

Chicken Biryani

Chicken Biryani

2 cups dry jasmine rice
1/4 onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
5 whole cloves
2 cardamom pods
10 coriander seeds
8 whole peppercorns
1 Indian bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
1 pound chicken breast, cut into small cubes
1 cup spinach
salt
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Cook rice according to package instructions.

Meanwhile, in a frying pan, saute onions in 2 tablespoons of oil until browned. Then, add the spinach, cloves, cardamom, peppercorns, coriander, and bay leaf. When the spinach wilts, add the chicken, garlic, and salt. Add 1/8 cup of water, cover, and allow to cook until the chicken is tender and the water has boiled away (should be about 4 minutes).

Then, add curry powder and salt to the rice, and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Combine the ingredients from the frying pan, and stir. Enjoy!

Classic Red Sauce

Classic Red Sauce

1 can San Marzano tomatoes
5 cloves garlic, chopped or crushed
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
salt

Saute garlic in olive oil for 2 minutes. Then, add tomatoes and salt. Allow to cook for 20 minutes. Serve with any pasta dish, or wherever you would like to use red sauce.