CREAMY CHICKEN & RAVIOLI

 CREAMY CHICKEN & RAVIOLI

INGREDIENTS: 1 POUND ORGANIC CHICKEN BREASTS,  1 TBS EACH SALT, PEPPER, GARLIC POWDER, OREGANO AND PAPRIKA. OIL FOR FRYING (I LIKE LIGHT OLIVE OIL)

1 PACKAGE FRESH CHEESE RAVIOLI

1/2 STICK BUTTER, 4 SHALLOTS, 1 LEEK, 5 CLOVES GARLIC,  1/2 CUP MARINATED SUN DREID TOMATOES, 4 OUNCES TOMATO PASTE, 3 CUPS BABY SPINACH, 1 CUP HEAVY CREAM, 1 CUP CHICKEN STOCK, 1/2 CUP SHREDDED PARMESAN CHEESE

GARNISH: SLICED PARMESAN CHEESE

SEASON THE CHICKEN, FRY IN THE OIL AND SET ASIDE 

HEAT WATER FOR RAVIOLI

SAUTE SLICED SHALLOTS, LEEKS AND GARLIC IN THE BUTTER UNTIL SOFT, ADD THE SUN DRIED TOMATOES FOR 2 MINUTES, ADD EVERYTHING ELSE AND SIMMER FOR 10 MINUTES.   TASTE IT. ADD SALT OR PEPPER IF NEEDED. 

COOK THE RAVIOLI, SLICE THE CHICKEN. ADD EVERYTHING TO THE POT. TOP WITH THE SLICED PARMESAN CHEESE AND ENJOY!

ASPARAGUS SALAD

 ASPARAGUS SALAD

INGREDIENTS: 1 BUNCH OF ASPARAGUS, 2 SHALLOTS OR 1/4 CUP SLICED RED ONION, 1/4 CUP FRESH PARSLEY, CHERRY TOMATOES, 1/2 CAN SLICED HEARTS OF PALM, 1/3 CUP SLICED FENNEL

DRESSING: JUICE OF 1 LEMON, 2 TBS OLIVE OIL, 1 TSP DIJON, 1 TSP HONEY, 2 CLOVES CRUSHED GARLIC, 1/2 TSP SALT & PEPPER

MAKE THE DRESSING FIRST SO THE FLAVORS BLEND.

CUT OFF THE ENDS OF THE ASPARAGUS AND STEAM FOR 4 MINUTES. DRAIN AND LET THEM COOL. CHOP THE ASPARAGUS, ADD THE REST OF THE INGREDIENTS AND SERVE. 

IF YOU USE 2 BUNCHES OF ASPARAGUS, USE THE ENTIRE CAN OF HEARTS OF PALM AND DOUBLE THE DRESSING

BURRATA & BEET SALAD

 BURRATA & BEET SALAD

INGREDIENTS: ONE LARGE YELLOW AND ONE LARGE RED BEET OR A FEW SMALLER ONES PEELED, ROASTED AND CUT UP, BURRATA CHEESE, 1/3 CUP PINE NUTS & 4 CLOVES SLICED GARLIC TOASTED IN A SKILLET WITH A LITTLE OIL, 1/4 CUP FRESH BASIL, 1 SLICED SCALLION,  RED AND ORANGE CHERRY TOMATOES

DRESSING: 1/4 CUP BALSAMIC DRESSING, 1/4 CUP OLIVE OIL, 1 TBS HONEY, 1/2 TSP SALT & PEPPER

I ROAST MY CUT UP BEETS WITH SOME OLIVE OIL IN A 425 OVEN UNTIL DONE (ABOUT 20 MINUTES), I SAUTE MY GARLIC AND PINE NUTS IN A LITTLE OLIVE OIL IN A SKILLET UNTIL THEY TURN A LIGHT BROWN COLOR. I MIX THE DRESSING IN A SEPARATE CONTAINER SO THE FLAVORS MIX. 

IT'S A GREAT SALAD FULL OF FLAVOR AND LOTS OF HEALTHY INGREDIENTS.

CUCUMBER SALAD

 CUCUMBER SALAD

INGREDIENTS: 1 ENGLISH CUCUMBER, 1 TBS APPLE CIDER VINEGAR, 2 CHOPPED SHALLOTS, 1/2 CUP SOUR CREAM, 2 TBS FRESH DILL, 1/2 TSP SALT AND PEPPER, 1 TSP SUGAR

I SOAKED THE SHALLOTS IN THE VINEGAR FOR HALF HOUR. I SLICED THE CUCUMBER AND MIXED EVERYTHING TOGETHER 

SUPER EASY AND EVERYONE LIKED IT!

Stracciatella - Italian Egg Drop Soup

 Stracciatella Soup

Ingredients: Whole roaster chicken, 1 large carrot, 3 celery stalks, 3 tbs salt, 1 tbs pepper, 1 pound baby spinach, juice of 2 lemons, 6 eggs

Rinse the chicken, put in a pot of water with the salt, pepper and lemon juice, bring the water to a boil, cover and simmer on the lowest setting for 2 hours.

Remove the roaster from the pot and let cool off a bit before removing the meat from the bones. While the chicken is cooling, add the chopped carrot and celery to the water so they soften up. 

Meanwhile, mix the eggs thoroughly in a bowl. Slowly add them to the water with one hand while using a large spoon to mix them in your broth so they don't clump up.  Add the spinach and the chicken. Taste the broth. If you need more salt and pepper, go for it. 

I served mine with some fresh parmesan cheese. Some people add the cheese directly to the soup but I preferred to keep mine separate this time. 

Roasted Red Pepper Dip - Muhammara

 Muhammara

Ingredients: 16 ounce jar roasted red peppers, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 cup shelled walnuts, 3 cloves garlic, 3 ounces tomato paste, 3/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs, 1/4 cup pomegranate molasses, 1 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp sugar, 1 tsp sumac, 1/4 tsp salt

Put everything in a food processor and blend until smooth

Garnish with parsley, olive oil and walnuts

Serve warm or room temperature

PORK DUMPLINGS

 PORK DUMPLINGS

INGREDIENTS:

MIX: 1/2 pound ground pork, dumpling wrappers (I found them in the freezer section), 1 cup chopped baby bok choy (some people use napa cabbage), 2 thinly sliced scallions, 1 tbs soy sauce, 2 tbs sesame oil, 1 tbs rice vinegar, 1 tbs freshly grated ginger, 1/2 tsp chili garlic sauce

SAUCE: 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1 tbs rice vinegar, 1 tbs sesame oil, 1 tbs grated ginger, 2 cloves crushed garlic, 1 tbs chili garlic sauce, 1 thinly sliced scallion. Made first so flavors are enhanced. 

Thaw the wrappers. Combine the mix thoroughly. Put a little water in a cup to use to seal the edges. Put meat in the middle of the wrapper.  Add a small amount of water around the perimeter and seal the edges. 

You can steam in a steamer pot, rice cooker or fry in a frying pan with vegetable oil. 

When I steam them on a high heat, they are usually done in 10 minutes. Sometimes I like to steam them first and end with a fry to make the edges crusty. The rice cooker took a lot longer - about 25 minutes.