Tag Archives: potatoes

Breads, Recipe, Soup

Chicken Vegetable Soup & Cheesy Garlic Biscuits

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Perfect for a cool (or cold) evening’s dinner. Fresh vegetables, dark meat chicken, stock, and Cheesy Garlic Biscuits (instead of crackers) make this a satisfying meal for any member of your family!

Chicken Vegetable Soup

2 quarts chicken stock
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 large carrots, cut into coins
3 ribs of celery, cut into 1/4″ inch pieces
2 medium onions, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium potatoes, peeled, diced
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste

In a 350F oven, roast off chicken thighs. Remove and allow to cool, then cut into bite size pieces.

In a soup pot, heat olive oil until just smoking. Add onions and garlic, and toss to coat. Cook 2 minutes, then add celery and carrot. Stirring occasionally, cook for 4 additional minutes. Add potatoes, Italian seasoning, and stock. Bring to the simmer and add chicken. Allow to cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serves: 8.                        

Cheesy Garlic Biscuits

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup skim milk
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp sugar
1 cup Mozzarella/Cheddar/Monterey Jack cheese blend, shredded
1 tsp garlic powder
3 tbsp melted butter

Preheat oven to 450F.

In a mixing bowl, place flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir to combine. Add milk, mayonnaise, sugar, and beat on high speed until batter is smooth. It should not be pourable thin — it should be spoonable. Using a rubber spatula, fold in 3/4 cup cheese shreds.

Lightly grease 12 muffin tins (you may also use the liners if desired, or a silicon muffin pan). Spoon enough batter to fill each tin no more than 1/2 way (they WILL expand as they bake).

In a small bowl, combine melted butter and garlic powder. Using a brush, lightly paint the top of each biscuit with mixture. Then, using the reserved cheese, sprinkle the top of each biscuit.

Place on rack in the middle of the oven and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow to cool slightly on a wire rack before removing from pan. Serve warm with soups, roasts, stews, or broiled meats.

Makes 12 biscuits.

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Main Course, Recipe, Soup

Red Wine Beef Stew

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Red Wine Beef Stew

2 lbs of beef roast (such as London Broil) cut into 1″ cubes
1 lb carrots, cut into coins
1 lb fingerlings (new potatoes), or potatoes cut into a 1″ to 1.5″ cube
2 medium (or 1 large) onion, finely diced
2 large garlic cloves (or more), minced
1 750ml bottle of good red wine*
1 tsp each of rubbed sage, oregano, and thyme
2 bay leaves
1 quart of fresh water**
cornstarch

In a large pan, brown the cubes of beef (they’re not to be cooked through). If you have too many for the pan, do them in stages as you’ll want them to brown, not steam. After all have been browned, return to the pan, and add onions, garlic, sage, oregano, thyme, water, bay leaves and wine. Bring to a simmer, covered, and cook for 1.5 to 2 hours, making the beef tender. After 1 hour, add your potatoes. 30 minutes later, add  your carrot coins.

Combine cornstarch with cold water and stir to combine. How much you’ll need to use depends on (1) the volume of liquid you have in your stew and (2) the thickness you wish for it to be. Remove the bay leaves, then add  the cornstarch/water mixture to the pot and stir to combine. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes to cook the starch thoroughly.

Ladle into bowls, season with salt and pepper to taste and serve alongside fresh Rustic Herb Bread.

* It can be jug wine, but be sure it’s the kind you would drink. As it cooks down, the flavour intensifies, and if it’s bad tasting wine, that too will intensify.

** Yes, “Fresh” Water. Water that has been placed through a filter and let sit on the counter is not “fresh.” Bottled water is not fresh. If you do not wish to use tap water, run it back through your filtration system again. Water loses oxygen as it sits, and there is a difference in the way it cooks.

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Recipe, Veggies

Braised Onions, Potatoes & Spinach

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Braised Onions, Potatoes & Spinach

1 tbsp olive oil
4 medium onions, sliced thinly
4 cloves minced garlic
1 tbsp minced, peeled ginger
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp Kosher salt
1 tsp cracked black pepper
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1 14-ounce diced tomatoes in juice (fire roasted works nicely if you can find them)
1 cup vegetable broth
2 lbs potatoes, washed, peeled, and cut into 1/2″ pieces
1 lb fresh spinach, washed, drained, and any tough stems removed
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice

In large skillet, add oil over medium heat until light wisps of smoke appear (about 60 seconds). Add onions and cook, stirring, until softened but not browned (about 8 minutes). Add garlic, ginger, cumin, salt, pepper, nutmeg and cloves. Cook for and additional minute, stirring to combine. Add tomatoes with juice and vegetable broth, stirring to combine. Increase heat and bring to a boil.

Add potatoes and stir to combine. Place in a baking dish and bake in at 350 for 45-60 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender. At this point, turn oven off. The residual heat will complete the cooking process. In 1/4 lb batches, add spinach, stirring well after each addition, until spinach submerged in the liquid. In small bowl, dissolve cayenne in lime juice. Add to baking dish and stir well. Return to oven for another 10 minutes, or until spinach is wilted.

Serves 8 as a side dish, 4 as a main course.

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Recipe, Soup

Guilt Free Soup

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Guilt Free Soup

1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3 large carrots, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
4 tbsp. Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. butter
2 c. vegetable broth
1 lb russet potatoes, diced
2 tbsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 cups skim milk

In a soup pot, sauté onion, garlic, carrot, and celery in 1 tbsp olive oil until tender (about 5 minutes). Add broth, potatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper; cook 15 minutes. Add milk and cheese; heat until almost boiling.

Serves 4.

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Main Course, Recipe

Burbon London Broil & Oven Roasted Frites

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Bourbon London Broil

2 lb London Broil
1/4 cup good Kentucky Bourbon
Cracked Black Pepper
Kosher Salt

In a zip-top bag, combine London Broil and Bourbon. Turn to completely coat and let set aside for 15 minutes to allow to marinate, turning every 5 minutes. Heat grill (or grill pan) until slightly smoking. Remove London Broil and discard marinade. Grill for 7 minutes each side for medium rare (or longer to your taste). Once grilled, remove to a plate, season with black pepper and Kosher salt. Tent with aluminum foil and let sit for 10 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute.

Oven Roasted Frites
2 lb Russet Potatoes
1 tbsp olive oil
Kosher Salt (to taste)

Heat oven to 550F (or as hot as your oven will go)
Wash potatoes, julienne. Toss in a bowl with olive oil. Place on baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 20 minutes or until tops of potatoes are slightly browned. Remove from oven and lightly flavour with Kosher Salt.

Slice London Broil into strips. Take Whole Wheat Pita loaves and slice in half. Shred lettuce (I use Romaine), half grape tomatoes, and top with London Broil. Enjoy!

Serves 8.

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