This recipe is from a cookbook Jean gave me from the Eastside Cafe in Austin.

2 T. olive oil
1 C. onions, diced
3/4 C. celery, diced
1/2 C. green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 1/2 T. garlic, minced
8 C. chicken stock
3 C. cooked, diced chicken
2 14 oz. cans diced tomatoes
2 T. fresh lime juice
2 T. cilantro, minced
1 T. fresh basil, minced
1/2 t. ground cumin
1 t. salt
1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper
fried tortilla chips
1/2 C. jack cheese, grated

Heat olive oiil in a large soup pot over low heat. Saute onions, celery, bell peppers, and garlic for 15 minutes. Add stock, chicken, tomatoes, lime juice, cilantro, basil, cumin, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes. Garnish with fried tortilla strips and cheese. Yield: 12 cups

Matt said he ate goulash as a kid, and wanted me to try my hand.  I thought goulash was only eaten by people in the Minnesota, (or is that hotdish??) and didn’t really know what it was.  I came across this recipe on a blog that I follow, and I thought I’d try it.  I made a few changes.  I cooked about 4 oz (dry) of elbow noodles and added them, didn’t use the allspice and just added a touch of nutmeg (which I thought I could taste, but who knows…).  It actually turned out quite good – very simple flavors, but pretty comforting too.  Matt seems to like it!

Healthy Goulash

Courtesy of A Modern Gal

2 slices bacon, slivered
1 lb. ground meat (beef or turkey)
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can diced tomatoes (I prefer fire roasted)
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1/2 t allspice
1 t sweet paprika (or half sweet, half smoked)
red pepper flakes to taste
1 cup chicken or beef stock
1/2 head cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
1 T red wine vinegar

In a large deep pan or stockpot, render the fat from the bacon, then brown the ground meat in the pan.  Add onion, garlic, and carrot and continue to cook until meat is cooked through and onion is tender.  Add tomatoes, spices, and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 5 minutes.  Add cabbage and stir to incorporate thoroughly (this will be a relatively large volume), add the red wine vinegar.  Bring to a boil, cover and lower heat and simmer until cabbage is just tender, about 8 minutes.  Stir well, and serve immediately.

Mom and Dad took me to an excellent Denver restaurant called Venue, in the Highlands when I was home this last time.  I ordered their signature dish, Shrimp and Grits, and it was awesome!  After telling Will about it, he asked if I thought I could replicate it (coming from a good Southern family, the boy loves grits).  I told him I could sure try.  I’m proud of the outcome!  I don’t know exactly how they do their grits at Venue, so I just guessed.  However, they did tell us that they use Emmantaler cheese, which is a type of Swiss.  I found this at the Commissary.  I was reading about Emmantaler in my ingredients book and it said Gruyere is similar, so I imagine that could work too.  Also, at Venue, you get Black Tiger Shrimp. The Commissary here, however, thinks it’s a good idea not to have a fish monger, even though I can see the ocean from the Commissary parking lot (okay, not quite, but almost).  So, I had to get jumbo shrimp which were frozen, so they were not as good as other not-frozen shrimp might have been, however, the dish was still great!  Here’s what I did (I made it up as I went along):

For Grits:

1clove garlic, minced

1/3 cup minced sweet yellow onion

2 TBSP Olive Oil (2 turns of the pan)

1 cup Old Fashioned white grits

1/2 cup chicken broth

1  1/2 cups milk

Salt

1/3 cup Emmantaler cheese, finely grated

Cilantro

Sriracha chili sauce

For Shrimp:

1 TBSP olive oil

1 lb Jumbo or Black Tiger Shrimp

1 clove garlic

pinch of cayenne

salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a sauce pan of medium heat.  Saute onions and garlic until they are softened and have a tiny bit of color (you don’t want them too dark or they will stand out in the grits).  Add broth and 1 cup of milk. Bring to a boil.  Add grits and salt to taste, stirring to combine.  Reduce heat to low and cook grits for 5-7 minutes, then stir in last 1/2 cup of milk.  Cook another 10-15 minutes, until the grits are soft and creamy in texture. 

Meanwhile, season shrimp with salt, pepper and a dash of cayenne.  Heat olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat.  Add garlic and saute.  When garlic is browned and has flavored the oil, remove from pan. Add shrimp to pan and saute 5-7 minutes, or until pink on the outside and opaque in the center. 

Once grits are soften and creamy, stir in Emmantaler.  If grits are too thick, add a splash more milk. 

Serve grits garnished with cilantro on top and Sriracha sauce spread on the plate beside the grits, place shrimp on top of grits. 

This was soooo good and so much fun to try to replicate a recipe.  Of course, Venue does it best, but sometimes it’s fun to experiment!!!

Monkfish Provincial (except Dad doesn’t use monkfish or provincial!)  Easy dish and quick.  Serve over rice.  About 2-3 servings.

Ingredients:
salt and pepper to taste (very little salt)
1/2 tsp fajita seasoning
1/4 cup flour
1 lb halibut (monkfish or tilapia) – roughly chopped
1 TBP olive oil
1 TBP butter
1 clove garlic (or less)
4 TBP RoTel tomatoes
8 oz fresh mushrooms sliced
2 TBP white wine
some dried parsley

Mix the fajita seasoning, flour, salt and pepper.  Lightly coat fish.  Saute the mushrooms and garlic in 1/2 tbp butter.  In a separate pan, heat the olive oil and 1/2 tbp butter.  Cook the coated fish for 3 minutes.  Mix in the garlic, mushrooms and Rotels.  Cook another 2 minutes.  Add the white wine and parsley and cook another minute or so.  Serve over rice.

Stuffed Acorn Squash. Will ate ALL of his. I think it’s safe to say that I have corrected his one major flaw (not liking squash), lol. Thanks Robin Miller.

2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup quick cooking barley
2 acorn squash (about 1 1/2 pounds each), halved crosswise and seeded
2 teaspoons olive or vegetable oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 teaspoon dried sage
Salt and pepper, optional
4 tablespoons crumbled herbed goat cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Heat the chicken stock in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the barley and simmer until tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Scoop the seeds from each squash half and place, cut sides up, in a microwave-safe baking dish. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 5 minutes, or until flesh is tender.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add chicken, onion, green pepper and saute 3 minutes. Add sage, salt and pepper, to taste, and cooked barley and stir to coat. Cook, stirring constantly, until chicken is cooked through and mixture is well-combined.

Spoon barley mixture into each halved squash. Transfer stuffed squash to a foil-lined baking sheet or a baking dish and top with goat cheese. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, or until cheese is lightly browned.

Penne With Butternut Squash. Yum. Yet another recipe proving that squash is indeed good. Yes!

1 medium butternut squash (about 2 lbs), peeled and cut into 3/4 inch cubes
1 large onion cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 small head of garlic, separated and peeled
1 lb penne
8 oz goat cheese
1 c chopped, fresh basil
grated parmesan cheese
1 c chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 425
Put squash, onions and garlic cloves on greased baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until squash is fork tender.
Cook penne, reserving 2 c cooking liquid.
Put paste, goat cheese and 1 c of cooking liquid into bowl and toss until cheese is melted. If cheese is too thick add more of the reserved cooking liquid.
Add squash mixture and basil.
Top with parmesan cheese.

I made this for Todd and Sarah tonight because they just had their baby girl! YUM! It’s the ULTIMATE Chicken and Dumplings, recipe courtesy Betsy’s ex-boyfriend, Tyler Florence, lol. I did the recipe with no changes, except I did 1.5 times the amounts in order to have enough to take them a hearty meal and have some for us!
Ingredients
Chicken and Stock:
1 (3 to 31/2 pound) whole organic chicken
2 bay leaves
6 sprigs thyme
4 to 5 black peppercorns
1 head garlic, split through the equator
2 tablespoons salt

Buttermilk-Chive Dumplings:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/4 cup chopped chives
3/4 to 1 cup buttermilk

Sauce:

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons oil
2 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
6 cups chicken stock
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup frozen pearl onions
1/4 cup heavy cream
Freshly ground black pepper, for garnish
Chopped chives, for garnish

For the stock:

Place the chicken and all stock ingredients in a large Dutch oven and cover with water. Set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 1 hour until the chicken is tender. Skim the surface of fat and scum as it cooks.

When done remove the chicken to a cutting board. Strain the stock and shred the meat into big pieces – the stock will be used for the sauce and the chicken will be folded into it.

For the dumplings:

Sift the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. In a small bowl, using a whisk, lightly beat the eggs, chives and buttermilk together; pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently fold. Mix just until the dough comes together; the batter should be thick and cake-like.

To prepare sauce: In a Dutch oven, over medium heat, add the butter and oil. Add the carrot, celery, garlic, and bay leaves and saute until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour to make a roux. Continue to stir and cook for 2 minutes to coat the flour and remove the starchy taste. Slowly pour in the chicken stock, 1 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. Add frozen peas and pearl onions.

Let sauce simmer until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 15 minutes. Stir in heavy cream.

Fold the reserved shredded chicken into the sauce and bring up to a simmer. Using 2 spoons, carefully drop heaping tablespoonfuls of the dumpling batter into the hot mixture. The dumplings should cover the top of the sauce, but should not be touching or crowded. Let the dumplings poach for 10 to 15 minutes until they are firm and puffy. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Season with freshly cracked black pepper and garnish with chopped chives before serving.

I made this for Will and me on Sunday evening.  It was delish! Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients

• 12 chicken legs
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 stems rosemary, leaves picked and roughly chopped
• 4 cups panko bread crumbs
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups milk
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Put a sheet tray in the oven to preheat.

Wash and trim the chicken legs of any excess fat. Mix the garlic, rosemary and panko together in a shallow rimmed dish and season well with salt and pepper. Alternately, crush the garlic and rosemary with some olive oil and salt in a mortar and pestle.

Crack the eggs into a similar dish, add the milk and whisk to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. In another dish add the flour and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Take the chicken legs and 1 at a time, dredge in the flour, then the egg wash and then coat well with the rosemary-garlic panko bread crumbs. (Cook’s Note: you could also bread the legs by putting the bread crumbs in a large plastic bag and shaking the legs in the crumbs inside the bag.) Lay the chicken legs out on a tray lined with parchment paper, as you work. Refrigerate the legs for about 15 to 20 minutes for the breading to set.

Remove the hot sheet tray from the oven and drizzle with a good amount of olive oil. Arrange the chicken legs carefully on the tray, spacing them out evenly (the chicken will sizzle when added to the hot oil). Roast until the chicken legs are golden and crispy, about 35 to 40 minutes Remove the chicken from the oven to a serving platter. Season with salt and serve with lemon wedges.

Dad made this over the weekend. The beans he used needed to be soaked overnight or at least soaked for 6-8 hours in hot water. After cooking the whole pot for about 1 1/2 additional hours the beans were less al dente!

1 1/2 C. dried chickpeas (or 2 cups canned, drained chickpeas)

2 T. olive oil

1 med. onion, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

1/2  t. thyme leaves

1/2 bunch kale, thicker stems removed and discarded, leaves coarsely choppe3d

Salt and pepper to taste

2 red bell peppers, cored and cut into 1/2 in. thick strips

2 T. red wine vinegar

2 C. tomato puree (sauce)

2 C. chicken, beef or vegetable broth

1/2 C. pearl barley, rinsed

Grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese, to taste

If using dried chickpeas, soak in cold water to cover for 4 to 6 hours. (See note above.)

In a medium-size pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the onion, garlic and thyme. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and golden, about 10 minutes. Add the kale, stirring to coat it with the oil. Season the mixture with salt and pepper and cook for 10 minutes, until kale is somewhat softened. Stir in the red peppers, increase the heat to high, and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the vinegar and cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until the liquid is almost completely evaporated. Add the tomato puree and the stock or broth and bring to a boil.

Once the liquid boils, add barley and soaked, drained chickpeas. (Do not add canned chickpeas at this point). Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and let the mixture simmer for about 30 minutes. If using canned chickpeas, stir them into the mixture and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook for another 10 to 15 minutes, checking the tenderness of the barley and the chickpeas, both of which should be al dente. Ladle the ragout into warmed soup bowls and top each serving with grated cheese if desired.

Serves 8.

From Colorado Classique

1 small eggplant, sliced into 1/4 in. thick rounds

6-8 T. olive oil, divided

2 t. salt, divided

1 t. ground black pepper, divided

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4 in. slices

1 15 oz. can crushed tomatoes (sauce)

2 6 oz. packages sliced mozzarella cheese

1/2 c. Parmesan cheese

1/4 c. lightly packed fresh basil leaves

Preheat broiler. Coat both sides of eggplant rounds with some of the olive oil, salt and pepper. Arrange eggplant on a baking sheet and broil about 5 minutes on each side or until browned; set aside. Turn oven to 425 degrees. Heat 1 T. olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Season chicken with salt and pepper and saute in hot oil. Layer a greased baking dish with half of eggplant, half of chicken, half of tomatoes, half of mozzarella cheese, half of Parmesan cheese, and half of basil leaves. Repeat layers. Drizzle top with 1/2 T. oilve oil. Bake, uncovered, for 20-25 min. Let stand 5 min. before serving.