Creamy Garlic Herb Chicken
prep 15 min. ready 30 min. serves 2-3 Even though we have had snow on the ground and the temperature has been around freezing, some of the outdoor herbs from my garden are still green! I have harvested almost all of the …
Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Pomegranate
prep 15 min. ready 1 hr. serves 2-3 My wife and I are hosting Thanksgiving this year. I have been experimenting with sides for our turkey dinner. I like Brussel sprouts and love pomegranates and thought the combination would be …
Cream of Potato Soup
prep 20 min.
ready 50 min.
serves 4-6
We now have a total of 5 inches of snow and temperatures below freezing. It feels more like winter than fall. A friend of mine said it’s time to start making soup. It’s also time to start wearing sweaters, long underwear, and down jackets. I had several russet potatoes and figured a creamy potato soup would be the perfect cold-weather meal. I surveyed our freezer and discovered a couple of packages of bacon hiding there. I decided the thick-cut bacon would be perfect for this soup. I like to cook it extra crispy so that it crumbles easily. Also, I like to use fresh herbs when I can. I had fresh cilantro from a Mexican dinner that I had made earlier in the week. I added it along with a dab of sour cream on the top of the soup. I skipped on the shredded cheese on my bowl but gave my wife a healthy topping of shredded sharp cheddar. I served the soup with a fresh loaf of artisan bread spread with Irish butter. It was the perfect meal to warm us up on a cold fall day. The pepper flakes also added a little heat of their own.
Ingredients
• 6 slices bacon, crispy and broken into pieces
• 2 stalks celery, chopped into thin slices
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 6 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 3 Tbs. butter
• 3 Tbs. all-purpose flour
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp. dried tarragon
• 1 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
Directions
1. In a frying pan or Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat about 10 minutes until crispy. Remove bacon from pan, pat dry and set aside. I cooked the bacon in a frying pan rather than doing it all in one large pan.
2. Heat the butter over medium heat and saute the celery, carrots, and onion until the onion becomes translucent about 5 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and pepper flakes and continue cooking for 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Add the potatoes, and saute for an additional 3 minutes.
4. Scrape the sides of the pan and add the flour. Stir everything together for about 2 minutes. The mixture will thicken slightly.
5. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Then partially cover the pot and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes become tender.
6. Stir in the heavy cream and cilantro and cook for about 2 minutes.
7. Remove from heat and blend the ingredients with an emulsion blender or a potato masher. I wanted some chunks of potato so I pureed the soup for only about 30 seconds. If you want a less chunky variation of the soup to continue to puree a little longer.
8. Salt and pepper to taste. I used crushed black pepper and sea salt. I topped it with fresh cilantro, some grated sharp cheddar cheese, and a tsp. of sour cream (optional).
Serve immediately.
Cream of potato soup
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon extra crispy
- 2 stalks celery chopped thin
- 1 med. onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ tsp. red pepper flakes crushed
- 6 med. potatoes peeled and cubed
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 3 Tbs. butter
- 3 Tbs. flour all-purpose
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp. cilantro fresh
- ½ tsp. black pepper crushed
- ½ tsp. sea salt crushed
- ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
Instructions
-
In a frying pan or Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat about 10 minutes until crispy. Remove bacon from pan, pat dry and set aside. I cooked the bacon in a frying pan rather than doing it all in one large pan.
-
Heat the butter over medium heat and saute the celery, carrots, and onion until the onion becomes translucent about 5 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and pepper flakes and continue cooking for 1 to 2 minutes.
-
Add the potatoes, and saute for an additional 3 minutes.
-
Scrape the sides of the pan and add the flour. Stir everything together for about 2 minutes. The mixture will thicken slightly.
-
Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Then partially cover the pot and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes become tender.
-
Stir in the heavy cream and cilantro and cook for about 2 minutes.
-
Remove from heat and blend the ingredients with an emulsion blender or a potato masher. I wanted some chunks of potato so I pureed the soup for only about 30 seconds. If you want a less chunky variation of the soup continue to puree a little longer.
-
Salt and pepper to taste. I used crushed black pepper and sea salt. I topped it with fresh cilantro, some grated sharp cheddar cheese, and a tsp. of sour cream (optional).
-
Serve immediately.
Waldorf Salad
prep 10 min. ready 15 min. serves 2-3 The Waldorf salad was first made in 1896 at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City and was originally just apples, grapes, and mayo. The nuts, which in my opinion make the salad, were …
Homemade Caramel Apples
prep 15 min. ready 1 hr. 15 min. serves 8-9 Having grown up spending my summers in northern Michigan, I have developed a taste for quality fudge and caramel. That is why northern Michigan summer residents and tourists are known as …
Roasted Chicken with Herbs de Provence
prep 20 min.
ready 1 hr. 45 min.
serves 4-6
I have been planning on what to make for cool fall weather meals for simple artistic cooking. (If you have any suggestions let me know.) I purchased a whole free-range frying chicken from a market that buys from a local poultry farm. The chicken was a little more expensive compared to some other birds from mega grocers, but you get what you pay for. I also wanted to use some of the herbs from my garden before the frost kills them and before I take some of them inside to hang dry. I have a lot of sage, thyme, and rosemary so I took a good portion of each herb and stuffed it into the cavity of the bird along with a couple of tablespoons of butter. Then I used kitchen string to bound the legs of the chicken and baked it. Having the fresh herbs really helped in flavoring the chicken because you could taste each of the herbs in the end result. It was very moist and oh so good. I love growing my own herbs and hate to see the weather taking them away. I do not have as good of luck growing them indoors as I do outside.
Having vacationed in the Provence region of France, I know how delicious the roasted chickens are from the local markets there so I thought I would try to make one. It is a wonderful meal for a cool fall evening. I purchased an Herbs de Provence spice package at World Market. It was very inexpensive and there is enough to last quite a long time. I typically buy small containers of spices, but this was the only size they had. It’s hard to match the exact taste from what you get in France, but surprisingly it was pretty close. For side dishes, I made homemade mashed garlic potatoes and steamed broccoli. We were able to get enough leftovers to enjoy this meal a second night. I asked my wife if I should make this again. With a big smile and a quick response, she said, Yes!”
Ingredients
• 1 whole roaster chicken (I used a four-pound bird) washed and patted dry
• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 clove of garlic, finely minced
• 1 tsp. onion, minced
• 1 tsp. Herbs de Provence
• Bunch of fresh herbs. (I used rosemary, thyme, and sage from my garden.)
• 1 tsp. salt (I used ground sea salt.)
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
1. Preheat your oven to 375º F.
2. Wash and pat dry your chicken.
3. Place chicken in a roasting pan, Dutch oven, or cast-iron skillet. I used one of my favorite well-seasoned Griswold skillets.
4. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients.
5. With a teaspoon, gently loosen the skin at the breast (both sides) of the chicken and slide the spoon in and out to separate the skin from the meat.
6. Spoon about 1/4 of the mixture into each side of the breast. With your fingers push the mixture so that it spreads over the entire breast if possible.
7. Spread the remaining 1/2 of the mixture on the entire top of the bird. (I sprinkled a little additional dry Herbs of Provence spice on top.)
8. Bake for 20 minutes per pound until it turns a dark golden brown color. (You will be drooling at this point because of the delicioius aroma in your kitchen). I had a four-pound bird so I cooked it 80 min.
9. Let cool 10-15 minutes before carving and serving the bird.
Roasted Chicken with Herbs de Provence
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 Roaster Chicken Whole
- 1 Tbs. Olive Oil Extra Virgin
- 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic finely minced
- 1 tsp. Onion minced
- 1 tsp. Herbs de Provence spice
- 1 bunch fresh herbs Rosemary, thyme, sage
- 1 tsp. salt sea salt
- 1 tsp. black pepper freshly ground
Instructions
-
Preheat your oven to 375º F.
-
Wash and pat dry your chicken.
-
Place chicken in a roasting pan, Dutch oven or cast-iron skillet. I used one of my favorite well-seasoned Griswold skillets.
-
In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients.
-
With a teaspoon, gently loosen the skin at the breast (both sides) of the chicken and slide the spoon in and out to separate the skin from the meat.
-
Spoon about 1/4 of the mixture into each side of the breast. With your fingers push the mixture so that it spreads over the entire breast if possible.
-
Spread the remaining 1/2 of the mixture on the entire top of the bird. (I sprinkled a little additional dry Herbs of Provence spice on top.)
-
Bake for 20 minutes per pound until it turns a dark golden brown color. (You will be drooling at this point because of the delicious aroma in your kitchen). I had a four-pound bird so I cooked it 80 min.
-
Let cool 10-15 minutes before carving and serving the bird.
French Pear Cake
prep 20 min. ready 1 hr. 15 min. serves 4-6 The fall colors are peak here in the Midwest! I have gone on several bike rides through the beautiful fall colors. I have also enjoyed this time of year by hiking with …
Apple Galette with Homemade Caramel Sauce
prep 20 min. ready 1 hr. 15 min. serves 4 I love autumn. It is by far my favorite season of the year. It goes by too fast, though, so enjoy it while it’s here. I have many projects to do inside …
Pesto Pasta with Shrimp
Our herb garden has been very good this year and is now winding down. I will soon be picking and drying the herbs for winter use. I have been growing parsley, thyme, sage, cilantro, oregano, chives, mint, tarragon and one of my favorites, basil.
I think this is the best time of year to use the basil because the fresh tomatoes are delicious now. I make a simple salad with tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil. I add balsamic vinegar and olive oil to the top.
I made pesto with some of our basil. I added walnuts, angel hair pasta, and shrimp. My favorite pasta is angel hair. I love how thin it is and how quickly it cooks. It is my go-to pasta for red sauce spaghetti or any pasta dish. I also love shrimp. I could eat them every day. When kite-boarding with friends in the outer banks of North Carolina over the years, I made a daily pilgrimage with them to a local sea-food joint for a pound or two of fresh local shrimp. We ate them “peel and eat” with a nice coating of Old Bay and of course cocktail sauce. I can’t get enough of them! I also love them steamed, fried, baked, scampi, and cocktail-style. I could eat them all day long. Yum!
Ingredients
• 2 cups fresh washed basil
• 8 oz. angel hair pasta
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil.
• 1/2 lb. medium/large shrimp (I used peel on.)
• 1/4 cup walnuts
• 1 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
1. In a large pot, boil two quarts of water over high heat with 1 Tbs. vegetable oil and a pinch of salt.
2. Wash basil in a colander and pat dry.
3. In a food processor, add basil, garlic, olive oil, and walnuts. Pulse for about 20 seconds.
4. When the water begins to boil, add pasta and cook for 4-5 minutes until tender.
5. Drain water from the pan through the colander into another large pot and put back on the stove and continue boiling.
6. Add peeled raw shrimp to boiling water and cook an additional 4-5 minutes or until shrimp have turned white.
6. Put the pasta mixture in bowls or on plates and add the shrimp.
7. Grate parmesan cheese over the top.
Serve immediately.
Pesto Pasta with Shrimp
Simple to make Pesto shrimp.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4
Ingredients
- 2 cups basil fresh, washed
- 8 oz. pasta angel hair
- 2 cloves garlic fresh
- 2 Tbs. olive oil extra virgin
- 1/2 lb. shrimp peel on medium/large
- 1/4 cup walnuts
- 1 Tbs. parmesan cheese grated
Instructions
-
In a large pot, boil two quarts of water over high heat with 1 Tbs. vegetable oil and a pinch of salt.
-
Wash basil in a colander and pat dry.
-
In a food processor, add basil, garlic, olive oil, and walnuts. Pulse for about 20 seconds.
-
When the water begins to boil, add pasta and cook for 4-5 minutes until tender.
-
Drain water from the pan through the colander into another large pot and put back on the stove and continue boiling.
-
Add peeled raw shrimp to boiling water and cook an additional 4-5 minutes or until shrimp have turned white.
-
Put the pasta mixture in bowls or on plates and add the shrimp.
-
Grate parmesan cheese over the top.
-
Serve immediately.
Broccoli Salad
prep 10 min. ready 1 hr. 15 min. serves 2-3 I have been making a lot of sweet recipes lately with seasonal fresh fruit so I decided it was time for a healthy recipe with vegetables. I purchased some from local farm …