Healthy for the heart this Valentine's Day...

Valentine’s Day is one of those holidays that I have always kind of liked but I could take or leave behind. It is a little bit of a pressure cooker of a holiday…I do love the idea of people sharing their love for one another and showing they care. That is important and meaningful in so many ways. But it is also one of those Hallmark card created holidays that make people scramble around to buy flowers and chocolate and make last minute dinner reservations so they can ‘prove their love”.  Why not stay at home and prove your love by making a nice, big Italian dinner together and throw on a movie with a little red wine? That could be just as nice and there is so much meaning in a meal that someone has taken time to prepare.  I have just the recipes for you to make this weekend. A good, hearty dinner that is healthy(ish), easy to prepare, and red for Valentines Day!.

I chose pasta as the main dish since we all crave hearty food this time of the year. Nothing satisfies more than a good loving bowl of pasta Bolognese.  The ultimate comfort meal made with a new healthy twist.  Swapping chicken for beef, but keeping the pancetta right where it belongs…in the sauce. I couldn’t live without a little cured bacon in there. It makes the sauce that much tastier and with the ground chicken it stands up pretty well to the real thing! It takes half the time to cook and you can even cheat on your sauce and use one of your favorite jarred options. Mine is always Raos, but choose what you like. There is a recipe for my simple red sauce included if you are feeling that much more adventurous. Plus it’s red for Valentines Day so you are one step ahead of the curve!

To go with the Bolognese I have included a recipe for a shaved brussels sprouts salad with Meyer lemon. I thought this would stand up to the Bolognese and go nicely as a side. The raw brussels sprouts are combined with roasted brussels sprouts and then tossed in a slightly creamy dressing. Toasted pine nuts and parmesian make an appearance in the salad as well for extra crunch and flavor. Its one of the best salads I have had in a long time, so I hope you will give it a try.

To round off the meal, I would say buy a nice crusty loaf of bread and either make a buttery garlic bread, smear it with some ricotta and sea salt or just eat it plain on its own. You can splurge a little on Valentines Day. You only live once, so why not?

Let me know what you think and Happy Valentines Day to you all!

Chicken Bolognese

Serves 4

1-2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

1 Medium Onion, diced

1 Cup Cubed Pancetta

1-1/2 Pounds of Ground Chicken, White Meat

½ Cup of White Wine

4 Sprigs of Thyme

1 Recipe for Red Sauce or Jar of Raos Marinara

2 Tablespoons of Heavy Cream (optional)

Sea Salt and Pepper

1 Pound of Rigatoni or Mezze Rigatoni

1. Heat a 12-inch saute pan over a medium heat. Add in the onions and garlic. Saute them for about 5 minutes or until they are translucent. Add in the pancetta and saute for 8 more minutes. Add in the ground chicken and break up the meat into small pieces. Season the chiken with a few pinches of salt. Cook the chicken mixture for about 10 minutes or until the chicken seems cooked. Add in the white wine. When the wine is cooked off, add in the tomato sauce. Cook the sauce for about 12-15 minutes. Add in the cream if you are using it and cook the sauce for another 5 minutes. Taste for Seasoning and toss with your cooked pasta.

2. For the pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add enough salt so it tastes like the ocean. Add the pasta to the pot and give it a stir. Allow it to boil for 8-10 minutes.  The pasta is ready when it still has a slight bite left in it, but feels done.

Make sure to read the back of the package for different shapes and sizes of the pasta. They are cook at different times. Pour the pasta into a strainer. Shake the water out. Toss with the heated sauce and serve with grated parmesian cheese.

 Red Sauce:

3 Cloves of Garlic, sliced

8 Red Chili Flakes

1/4 Cup Olive Oil

1 Can Whole, peeled Italian plum tomatoes, Crushed with Hands

Kosher Salt and Pepper

1. Slice the garlic and crush the tomatoes in a bowl. Heat a large sauté pan over a medium-high flame. Add the oil and then the garlic. Cook the garlic for a minute until it is cooked, but not brown.

Carefully pour in the tomatoes and watch out for a bubbling reaction between the tomatoes and oil.

2. Cook the sauce over the medium-high flame for about 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  When most of the juice has cooked off, the sauce should be tasted for seasoning and set aside till needed.

Shaved Brussel Sprouts and Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Meyer Lemon Dressing

Serves 4

Salad:

6 Handfuls of Brussels Sprouts, cut in half for roasting

6 Handfuls of Brussel Sprouts, Shaved thin

1 Meyer Lemon, Zest

¾ Cup of Shaved Parmesan

2 Tablespoons of Toasted Pine Nuts

Meyer Lemon Dressing;

2 Meyer Lemons, Juice only (can use regular lemons as well)

3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

½ Clove of Garlic, mnced or whole to marinate after the dressing is made

2 Tablespoons of Crème Fraiche

Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper

Preheat the oven to 425 Degrees

1. Cut the 6 handfuls of brussels sprouts in half and toss with 2 Tablespoons of olive oil. Place them on a sheet pan lines with parchment and roast them for about 30 minutes or until they are a golden borwn color and cooked through. Toss them once or twice while they are cooking.

2. Shave the brussel sprouts into thin strips with a knife or mandoline. Place the greens in a bowl with the zest, shaved parm, and pine nuts. When the roasted brussels are ready toss those in to the raw brussels sprouts mixture.

2. Whisk the lemon, garlic, salt, and pepper in a medium sized bowl. Whisk in the crème fraiche until it is mixed in with no lumps. With a slow and steady stream, whisk in the olive oil. Taste for seasoning.

3. Toss the salad with the dressing and taste for seasoning. one ore Garnish the salad with some more shaved parmesan and pine nuts on top.

Out with the heavy and in with the healthy…

Winter isn’t known for its produce. And it is tough at times to embrace the limited selection that it offers. I have decided to challenge winter and come up with some great recipes that can steer us towards healthy comfort and away from the heavier stews and braises.

There are many things I love on the winter seasonal food list… brussels sprouts, oranges, grapefruits, lemons, squash, kale, and occasionally all the ingredients to make a good braised short rib. So what great things can we do with these foods? The answer is quite simple and so I started with the most refreshing ones I could think of…oranges, lemons, and grapefruits.  I gathered some interesting types of oranges and pink grapefruits. For those of you that aren’t familiar with all the fancy types of oranges in the market (Whole Foods has most of these), I can give you a quick low-down. Cara Cara oranges are light pink in color and are similar to a grapefruit with the slightest bit more of sweetness. They are my personal favorite. The blood oranges are cool looking and purple orange in color. They are slightly more bitter like a lemon, but delicious. Navels are standard so no need to really explain those. 

Thinking along these lines I decided to aim for a great salad that can be eaten with meat as something like a salsa. I tossed together segments of blood oranges, cara cara oranges, and a grapefruit in a bowl.  They looked so pretty together and I felt totally inspired. I added some lemon juice, parsley, shallots, sea salt, and olive oil and it created the most beautiful and delicious salad.  I could hardly wait for the meat part of the meal! 

I made the salad on two separate occasions with two different meats and both times the salad worked beautifully. The grilled citrus marinated pork chop was really great under the refreshing bite of the citrus.  It was a nice change from the usual pork chops and applesauce of our youth.

The second dish was my absolute 100 percent favorite meal I’ve made all winter. I coated chicken cutlets with panko breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese to make an updated version of the chicken Milanese. The grapefruit and oranges with the chicken breading were so delicious and cut through the pan-fried (lets just admit its fried not sautéed) feeling that chicken Milanese can give.

 So I ended up with one salad and two recipes to use it in.  A little experimenting led me to some really great food. This is what I love about cooking!

I think you will find both of them to be perfect meals for the family or a weekend dinner party. Super versatile!  See the recipes below and let me know what you think!

Chicken Milanese with Blood Orange, Parsley, and Grapefruit Salsa

Serves 4                              

4 Chicken Cutlets, boneless, thinly sliced or pounded thin

8 Thyme Sprigs, leaves only

1 ½  cups of Italian Bread Crumbs

1 ½ Cups of Panko Bread Crumbs

3 Eggs, lightly beaten

1 Cup Olive Oil

1 Teaspoon of Sea Salt and a Few Grinds of Fresh Ground Pepper

1/2 Cup of Grated Parmesan

For The Orange, Parsley, and Grapefruit Salsa

2 Navel Oranges, peeled, segmented

2 Cara Cara Orange, peeled, segmented (can use a regular navel orange as well)

2 Blood Oranges, peeled, segmented

1 Pink Grapefruit, peeled, segmented

2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

1 Shallot, Diced

½ Teaspoon of Course Sea Salt (Maldon is my favorite) and a Few Grinds of Fresh Ground Pepper

1 Container of Arugula (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400 Degrees

For the Chicken:

1. Place the chicken on a plate and season it with the thyme leaves, salt, and pepper.

2. Put the beaten eggs in a medium-sized, shallow bowl. Sprinkle a few pinches of salt and pepper into the eggs. Mix the breadcrumbs, panko, and parmesan in another medium-sized, shallow bowl. Dip the chicken into the eggs and then dip the chicken into the Bread crumbs. Set them aside on a plate.

3. Heat a large sauté pan over a medium heat and add 3 tablespoons of oil into the pan. Add the chicken cutlets. You should be able to fit 4 at a time into the pan. Be careful to not crowd the pan. Sauté the chicken for about 2-3 minutes per side (until they are a light golden brown) and then place them on a parchment-lined sheet pan.

4. Put the chicken in the oven to finish cooking. Cook the cutlets for about 10 minutes. When they have finished cooking, place them on a plate and garnish them with the optional arugula and the fruit salad.

For The Orange, Parsley, and Grapefruit Salsa:

1. Cut the peel off of the oranges and grapefruit with a knife. There should only be orange showing and all of the white pith should be removed. Slice the segments out of the orange with a sharp knife. This is done by cutting the membranes from the sides of the orange segments.

2. Place the fruit in a medium-sized bowl.  Chop the parsley and shallots and add them to the citrus segments. Add in the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Gently combine and set aside. 

Citrus Marinated Pork with Grapefruit, Orange, and Parsley Salsa

Serves 4                              

4 Center Cut Pork Chops

8 Thyme Sprigs, leaves only

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Leftover juices from the grapefruit and oranges

1 Lemon, Juice only

1 Tablespoon of Honey

1 Teaspoon of Sea Salt and a Few Grinds of Fresh Ground Pepper

 For The Grapefruit and Orange Salsa

2 Navel Oranges, peeled, segmented, juice reserved

1 Cara Cara Orange, peeled, segmented (can use a regular navel orange as well)

1 Pink Grapefruit, peeled, segmented, juice reserved

2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

1 Shallot, Diced

½ Teaspoon of Sea Salt and a Few Grinds of Fresh Ground Pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 Degrees

For the Pork:

1. Peel and segment the fruits. To segment the fruit, start by cutting both sides of the fruit off (stem and other side). Lay the fruit flat on a cutting board. Starting at the top, cut the peel off all the way through the white pith so that only the segments appear. Then cut out each segment between the membranes. If this is to complicated, just cut the orange into thin rounds and then quarter the rounds so they are little triangles. Place the segments in a bowl and set aside. Reserve the membranes and squeeze the juices from them into a Ziploc.

2. Place the pork in a Ziploc and add in the olive oil, thyme, orange juices, grapefruit juices, honey, salt, and pepper. Allow to sit up to 24 Hours before cooking.

3. To make the salsa: Chop the parsley and shallots and add them to the citrus segments. Add in the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Gently combine and set aside.  

4. Heat the grill to a medium high heat. Season the chops with salt and pepper. When the grill is really hot, add the pork chops and sear them on each side for a couple minutes. Remove them from the grill and place them on a sheet pan. Finish cooking the pork chops in the oven for about 7-10 minutes or until they are slightly pink in the center. 

5. Place the pork chops on some plates and top with the citrus salsa.

One Pan, Two Nights

It takes a lot of effort to get a good meal on the table every night of the week. The best possible recipes are the ones that can stretch for two nights, maybe three.  I love this recipe in particular because it is fast to throw together, it has healthy ingredients in it, it freezes well and it is delicious.

All this meal takes is a rotisserie chicken from the market, two cans of good green enchilada sauce (Hatch’s from Whole Foods is my favorite), a couple handfuls of herbs, lime juice, an onion, garlic, a little cheese, and corn tortillas…how easy is that?

And if you want to go the extra mile, I sometimes like to make a lime crème which is lime juice and sour cream mixed together. Maybe a little lime zest and salt for extra flavor. Its worth it and will take all of 2 minutes to make.

For side dishes, you can serve it with a black bean, quinoa pilaf and a chopped salad with a lime dressing. 

Give it a try and let me know what you think…

Enjoy!

Healthy Green Chicken Enchiladas

Makes about 14 enchiladas

2 Cans of Hatches Green Enchilada Sauce or The sauce Belo2 tomatillos, whole, peeled (optional)

1 Bunch of Green Onions, greens only

1/2 Bunch of Cilantro

1 Lime, juice only

For the Enchilada:

1 Large Rotisserie Chicken or 5 Baked Chicken Breasts, meat shredded

2 Teaspoons of Olive Oil

1 Onion, finely chopped

2 Cloves of Garlic, finely chopped

2 Tablespoons of Sour Cream

1/2 Cup of Cheese, Monterey Jack or Mild Cheddar

14 Yellow or White Corn Tortillas

Garnish With:

Lime Sour cream

Sprig of Cilantro

Pre-heat the oven to 400 Degrees

1. Blend the green sauce, tomatillos, cilantro, scallion, lime juice until it is smooth.

2.  Heat a medium sauté pan on the stove. Place the olive oil in the pan. Add the onions and garlic to the pan and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Take the pan off of the stove and add in the shredded chicken. Add in the 2 tablespoons of sour cream and set aside.

3. Place some green sauce in the casserole dish. Place the tortilla in the sauce and fill it with 2 Tablespoons of the chicken mixture. Roll it and place it seam side down in the casserole dish. Repeat with the rest of the tortillas.

4. Top the enchiladas with the remainder of sauce and a sprinkle of cheese. Place the dish in the oven.

5. Bake the enchiladas for 20 minutes in the oven.

6. Serve with sour cream and a sprig of cilantro.

These can be made a day ahead and reheated in the oven.

Something white that is good to eat...healthy and white!

A series on vegetables in the kitchen as a main course or close to it!

As vegetables take the spotlight in the main course category, the one that I find to be most satisfying and interesting to present is the ever so white head of cauliflower. In all the years I have been cooking and eating cauliflower(one of my favorites as a kid) I have never thought to roast it whole... like one would roast a chicken or leg of lamb.  It is so easy to cook this way and has a great presentation after it is roasted.  The head becomes golden and crispy on the ends of the florets and roasts a nutty, sweet flavor throughout.

There are many ingredients you can roast the cauliflower with, but I chose to roast it in a cast-iron pan with the leaves still on and slices of lemons surrounding the head. The roasted lemons create a sauce for the cauliflower that is almost gravy like. It is truly delicious. If you are feeling any bit adventurous, add some capers to the pan and you have something along the lines of a cauliflower piccata. One pot cooking at it's finest!

Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Lemon and Capers

Serves 4

1 Large Head of Cauliflower, head slightly quartered. keeping core and leaves in tact

3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

2-3 Lemons (Meyer or regular), Sliced into ½ inch slices

Sea Salt and Pepper

1-2 Pinches of chili flakes (optional)

3 Tablespoons of Capers

½ Cup of Parmesan Cheese, grated (optional)

Pre-heat the oven to 425 Degrees or Convection 375 Degrees

 1. Place the cauliflower in a cast-iron pan. Cut the head halfway down into quarters so as to open the cauliflower up.  Pull the leaves of the cauliflower down on the sides.  Pour the olive oil all over the head and then sprinkle 2 large pinches of salt and pepper on top. Sprinkle the chili flakes on the cauliflower as well. Place the lemon slices around the vegetable and place it in the oven.

2. Roast the cauliflower in the oven for 30 minutes or until it is a deep golden brown. Remove the cauliflower and add in the capers and sprinkle the cheese on top.

3. Spoon any of the juices from the pan over the cauliflower. Serve the pieces with the lemon slices for extra juice.

It's always good to try something new...

That’s what I tell my kids every time we eat dinner…and it’s true. I love the adventure in food and tasting something that I haven’t had before. I first tried delicate squash at City Bakery in the city. Simply roasted and it was perfectly delicious. I have been making it ever since.

View fullsize

Delicata Squash is one of the ornamental squashes that you often see in the super market next to the butternut squashes. They are actually delicious roasted and take little work to do. I keep the rind on because it adds a nice texture against the softness of the squash meat.  Its slightly nutty in flavor and you can really add any type of spice or herb to it to match your main course. It is a vegetable that can wear many hats. Sometimes I roast it with nutmeg and cinnamon if I am in the mood for something on the sweet side. If I am feeling really adventurous I will toss it with cilantro, toasted peanuts and chili flakes. Throw a little lime on there and you have a perfect side dish.

To clean the squash you just slice it open vertically the long way and scoop the seeds out. Then you can cut it horizontally into half moon shapes. Toss it with olive oil, salt, pepper, and chilis and it s ready for the oven!

Roasted Delicata Squash with Cilantro and Peanuts

Serves 4

2-3 Small to Medium Delicata Squash, washed, cut lengthwise, seeded, cut into half moons with the skin on

2-3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

3 Large Pinches of Sea Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper

1-2 Pinches of Chili Flakes

1/2 Cup Unsalted, Roasted Peanuts

½ Bunch of Cilantro, cleaned, dried, chopped

1 Teaspoon of Lime Juice

Pre-heat Oven to 425 Degrees

1. Toss the squash slices in the olive oil and season them with the chili flakes, a few pinches of salt and some ground pepper. Roast the squash for 30 minutes in the oven or until it is crispy and golden brown. Set aside.

2. Toss the squash with the lime juice, cilantro,  and peanuts.  Taste for seasoning.

A Salad for Thanksgiving?

Most would say a salad has no place on the Thanksgiving table. I tend to agree, but this particular salad has me a bit swayed. The combination of beets, apples, grapes, pumpkin seeds, and the best dressing I have ever tasted could change your opinion too. To tell you the truth, it’s actually all about the dressing on this one. A creamy, tangy lime dressing that could be eaten with a spoon instead of on a piece of lettuce.

As far as ingredients go, it is an easy salad to make. The only part that is time consuming is roasting the beets. They are not hard to cook, but they take about an hour to roast. My solution is to pop them in the oven while the turkey is cooking. The hour will go by quickly and then the beets just have to cool for a little before putting them in the salad. The rest of the ingredients are a quick chop. So if you are looking for a side dish this holiday, be the one to volunteer for the most delicious salad anyone has ever tried...

Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy your turkey!

Baby Lettuces with Beets and Creme Fraiche

Serves 6

12-14 Cups Baby Lettuces, cleaned and dried

3 Medium Size Beets, roasted, peeled , sliced into 8 pieces

1 Cup of Grapes, sliced in half

1 Apple, Sliced into matchsticks or cubes

1/3 Cup of Toasted Pumpkin Seeds (also called pepitas)

2 Tablespoons of Fresh Herbs: Chives, Chervil, Cilantro, cleaned, cut if needed

1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt

Fresh Ground Pepper

 

Lime Crème Fraiche Dressing

½ Cup of Crème Fraiche

2 Limes, Juice and zest of 1 lime

Sea Salt To Taste

Fresh Ground Pepper To Taste

1. For the salad: Place the beets in parchment paper or aluminum foil with the skin on. Drizzle the beets with a little olive oil and salt. Seal tightly and roast them at 425 degrees for 55 minutes or until a fork slides into the beet with no resistance. Allow the beets to cool and then pull the skin off of them with your fingers or a peeler.

Assemble the lettuce, herbs, grapes, apples, beets, and seeds in a large mixing bowl.

2. For the dressing: Whisk the dressing ingredients in a bowl and taste for seasoning.

3. To finish the salad: Pour some of the dressing into the greens and toss. Add more as you go to make sure it is well dressed. Taste for seasoning and serve.

To make it ahead: The beets can be roasted the day before and the dressing can be made the day before. The grapes and the lettuces can be prepped a day ahead and can be stored separately. The herbs should be cut a few hours ahead and stored in a container in the fridge.  Toss the salad with the dressing, pumpkin seeds, and the other ingredients right before it is to be served.

Ditch the Plastic for the Enamelware...

Cool Food Related Finds...

I love my enamelware. It's cool looking, fun to use, safe for my family, and good for the environment. Though it's been around for forever, people are starting to opt for enamel over plastic. Reason being, there is less risk in having toxins transferred into your food.  The best part is it's shatterproof! I have been using the mugs for soup as well as drinks. Kind of fun. Camping kitchenware in your home! Just a fun find that I thought might interest you...

There are a few good online stores to shop for the enamel. The one I liked the best is Crow Canyon.
Check it out at:
http://www.crowcanyonhome.com
 

Quick and Easy…Those are great words to hear when you are looking for something good to make for dinner…

Every other Monday I take a train into the city to private chef for a family I have known for years. I stock their fridge with a weeks worth of food so they can come home from work and get dinner on the table in a flash.  The menus vary from week to week, but one of the most popular items I make is the healthy green enchiladas.

They are so simple to make and the flavors are so vibrant.  You can reheat them in the microwave or oven and they can also be popped in the freezer if you have leftovers.

All the ingredients are fairly simple to find. Whole foods carries the entire list of ingredients. You can substitute some things if you are feeling adventurous…

Here is the recipe. Please let me know what you think!

Chicken Enchiladas with Green Chilis and Tomatillos

Serves 6(12 enchiladas)

For the Sauce:

2 Cans of Hatches Green Enchilada Sauce (Whole Foods)

1 Bunch of Green Onions

1 Bunch of Cilantro

2 Limes, juice only

For the Enchiladas:

4 Chicken Breasts, baked and shredded (or shred a large roasted whole store bought, cooked chicken to save time)

2 Teaspoons of Olive Oil

1 Onions, finely chopped

2 Cloves of Garlic, finely chopped

2 Tablespoons of Sour Cream

1/2 Cup of Sharp Cheddar, grated

12 Yellow or White Corn Tortillas

Garnish With:

Sour cream

Sprig of Cilantro

1. Blend all the sauce ingredients together until smooth.

2.  Heat a medium sauté pan on the stove. Place the olive oil in the pan. Add the onions and garlic to the pan and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Take the pan off of the stove and add in the shredded chicken. Add in the 2 tablespoons of sour cream and set aside.

3. Dip a tortilla in the remaining sauce and fill it with 2 Tablespoons of the chicken mixture. Roll it and place it seam side down in the casserole dish. Repeat with the rest of the tortillas.

4. Top the enchiladas with the remainder of sauce and a sprinkle of cheese. Place the dish in the oven.

5. Bake the enchiladas for 20-25 minutes in the oven.

6. Serve with sour cream and a sprig of cilantro.

These can be made a day ahead and reheated in the oven.

Everyone Loves a Good Soup...

Everyone loves a good soup…

Tortilla Soup is the pick for a cold night like tonight. I first tried this soup at City Bakery in New York City. I was hesitant to try a soup called tortilla soup because it did not sound appealing to me. , The minute the spoon hit my mouth I knew I was forever in love with this thing called tortilla soup. I remember running straight to the grocery store that night to buy the ingredients to try and conquer the recipe on my own. I first tried to make it with whole dried chilies that I hydrated and then pureed with some spices. It made an incredible base for the soup. I ran with this recipe for a while until I realized that home cooks don't always have time to make chili pastes from scratch. Especially those cooks that are busy working or chasing their kids all over town. So I simplified it and decided to go with a chili powder. It actually was delicious and so I have been teaching people this recipe ever since. I can post both recipes and you can decide what you would like to try and make.

Tortilla soup also happens to be one of my favorite things to serve when I have friends over. I like to make it for a crowd in place of traditional chili. I love to make a small bar set-up with garnishes. The rock star garnishes for this recipe are cheddar cheese, tortillas chips, lime wedges, chopped cilantro, and a side of jalapenos or chipotles. The soup is at it’s finest with a good load of stuff in it!

Tortilla Soup

Serves 6

For the soup:

1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil Oil

1 Onion, chopped

2 Cloves of Garlic, chopped

4-5 Tablespoons of Chili Powder

1 Tablespoon of Cumin

1 Teaspoon of Oregano

1 Teaspoon of Soy Sauce

2 Cups of Diced Fire Roasted Tomatoes with the juice

1 Chicken Breast, boneless, skinless

2 Chicken Thighs, boneless,skinless (or 1/3 of a rotisserie chicken, skin and bones  off)

2 Large Handfuls of Tortilla Chips

8 Cups  of Chicken Stock

1 Bay Leaf

1/4 bunch of Cilantro

2  Limes, juice only

2 Teaspoons of salt

Garnish:

1 Cup of  White, Sharp Cheddar, grated

Tortilla Chips, crushed

1 Avocado, cubed

Lime Wedges

Chopped Cilantro

Pre-heat the oven to 400 Degrees

1. Bake the chicken in a 400 degree oven until it is cooked through, about 15 minutes for white meat and 20 minutes for the dark meat. If you are using a rotisserie chicken, shred the chicken meat and reserve in a bowl.

2. Heat a large soup pot over a medium heat.  Add the onions and garlic. Add a few pinches of salt. Saute the onions until they are soft and transluscent, about 7 minutes.

3. Add in the chili powder, cumin, oregano and saute the mixture for another minute. Then add in the tomatoes. Allow the onion and tomato mixture to simmer in the pot for about 8 minutes. Add in the bay leaf and broth to the soup and bring it to a boil.

4. Once the soup is boiling, add in the tortillas and the chicken. Lower the temperature to a medium low heat and allow the soup to simmer for about 8 minutes.  Remove the soup from the burner and let it sit for a few minutes. Using a hand blender or a regular blender puree the soup so most fo the chunks are gone. If the soup is too thick, it may need a little more broth. The soup should be a medium thickness.

5. Add in the salt, chopped cilantro, and lime juice. Taste for seasoning. Serve with the garnishes in bowls on the side.

Tortilla Soup with Homemade Chili Paste

Serves 2

For the Chili Paste:

4-6 Dried Pasilla or Ancho Chili Peppers

4 Cloves of Garlic, roasted

1/8 Cup of Chicken Stock

1 Teaspoon of Honey

1 Teaspoons of Soy Sauce

1 Tablespoons of Canola Oil

1Teaspoon of Cumin

For the soup:

1 Onion, finely chopped

1-2 Teaspoons of Cumin

1/4-1/2 Cup of Chili Paste(deoends on spice level of chili

1 Small can of chopped tomatoes

1 Chicken Breast, boneless, skinless

2-3 Chicken Thighs, boneless,skinless

3 Corn Tortillas

2 Quarts of Chicken Stock

1/4 bunch of Cilantro

1 Limes, juice only

1 Cups of Cheddar or Monterey Jack Cheese, grated (optional)

Tortilla Chips, crushed (optional)

Pre-heat the oven to 400 Degrees

1. Remove the stems and seeds from the chili peppers by slicing the pepper lengthwise and carefully pulling out the insides.  Open the peppers so they are flat. (Be sure to keep your hands away from your eyes until you have washed them thoroughly with soap and water.  Some of the dried chilis can burn more than others.)

2.  Heat a small saute pan on the stove. Place two peppers at a time in the pan and toast them on each side till they begin to bubble. Press down on the peppers with the back of a spoon if they begin to curl.  Place the peppers in a bowl and pour boiling water to cover them completely. Allow them to soak for 10 minutes or until they are re-hydrated.

3.Drain the peppers in a colander and place them in a food processor.  Add the rest of the ingredients for the paste into a food processor and puree until smooth.

4. Bake the chicken breasts in a 400 degree oven till they are cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Late Summer Salads

Summer is absolutely not over for me yet...we still have some warm days ahead and I still have a big list of things to do before fall sets in. The markets are still bringing in great produce and the warm weather is still calling for lighter fare.

My favorite food during the summer is the tomato. I love eating the cherry tomatoes like grapes and the large tomatoes sliced with a little salt. Lately, I have been slicing them in thick rounds and putting them with a little avocado on a good piece of toast. Add a some chili flakes and little sea salt to that and it makes a great lunch. For dinners, the kids and I have been eating a lot of different tomato salads. Our favorite one right now is a salad with tomatoes, peaches, mint, arugula, and toasted almonds. It is so delicious on the side of a good grilled steak. Try this recipe and let me know what you think....

Summer Peach and Tomato Salad with Mint

Serves 6                                        

1 Pint of assorted heirloom cherry tomatoes or 2 Regular Sized

4 Peaches, ripe, sliced into 8 pieces

1 Cup of Mint Leaves, whole, washed, dried

12 Cups of Arugula

½ Cup of Toasted Sliced Almonds

½-1 Tablespoon of Good, Thick, aged Balsamic Vinegar

2-3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

Sea Salt and Freshly ground Pepper

1.  Combine the peaches, tomatoes, mint, arugula, and almonds in a bowl. Drizzle the olive oil and balsamic vinegar over the salad. Sprinkle the sea salt and pepper over the greens. Toss gently.