Creamy Spinach Artichoke Chicken

 A recipe I made up on the fly for a church potluck inspired by spinach artichoke dip. It turned out so well that I decided to guesstimate the amounts of what I used and turn it into an actual recipe. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 rotisserie chicken, shredded (I like Costco’s, but any kind will do. 

        Note: Raw chicken could also be used, but the cooking time will need to be increased, and the                    chicken will have to be shredded after it is cooked.

1lb frozen spinach thawed and drained

12 oz jar of marinated artichoke hearts, roughly chopped

1 cup of chicken broth

1 8oz pack of cream cheese, cubed

1.5 cups of shredded mozzarella

Salt and pepper

Directions:

Place everything except for the mozzarella in a crockpot and cook on high for 2 hours until heated through. Stir in the mozzarella and add salt and pepper as needed to taste. Serve over rice.

Mushroom Risotto

Ingredients:

1 Cup Dried Mushrooms

1 1/2 Cups Cream

1 Tbsp Beef stock concentrate (powdered or paste work fine)

2 Cups Fresh Mushrooms, sliced (I usually use brown baby bella, but other varieties work great too!)

1 Onion, diced

3 Cloves of Garlic, minced

1/2 Stick of Butter, divided in half

2 1/2 Cups of Arborio (Risotto) Rice

5 Cups of Chicken or vegetable stock

Thyme

Salt

Parmesan or goat cheese (for serving)

Directions:

In a small sauce pan, bring to a simmer the dried mushrooms, cream and beef stock concentrate. Stir together occasionally and let reduce and thicken while you prepare the risotto. It should turn a light brown color and be able to coat the back of a spoon when it is finished.

Meanwhile, bring the chicken or vegetable stock to a boil. Melt 1/4 stick of butter in a large pan. Sautée the fresh mushrooms, onion and garlic until softened. Clear a section in the middle of the pan and melt the remaining butter. Add in the rice and cook until the rice has turned golden. Start to ladle in the hot stock to the pan with the risotto until the stock just covers it. 

Continue simmering the risotto while stirring and adding additional stock as needed until the rice is cooked through and the stock has been absorbed, about 15-20 minutes. Adjust seasonings as needed.

Once the risotto is cooked, stir in the mushroom cream. Serve with freshly grated parmesan or goat cheese.

Turkey Meatloaf

 2 lbs Ground Turkey - I like the 85%

1 envelope dry onion soup mix

3 slices of bread

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup shredded cheese

2 eggs

1/2 cup catsup

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Tear up the bread into little pieces and soak in the milk. Add in onion soup mix, cheese, eggs, catsup and seasonings. Mix to combine. Add in turkey and mix until incorporated. Form into loaf shape in 9x13 pan. Bake at 375 for 1 hour. Let cool 5 minutes before slicing and eating!

You can also coat with catsup or BBQ sauce if you like it glazed. 

Creamy Mediterranean Tomato White Bean Skillet with Flatbread

Inspired by @nourishing.amy and flatbread recipe from Inspired Taste 

Ingredients:

1 eggplant, cubed

1 red onion, diced

1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise

3 cloves of garlic, sliced

Salt

Thyme

1 can white beans

1 can coconut milk

1/2 tube of tomato paste

1 jar red pesto

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

2-3 cups spinach

Pine nuts (for topping)

For the flatbread:

2 cups (260g) all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon pure maple syrup or sugar

3/4 cup (175ml) cold water

Vegetable oil for cooking

Directions:

Sautée the eggplant and onion over medium heat in some oil until softened. Add in the tomatoes and garlic and cook for a couple minutes. Season with salt and thyme. Add in the rest of the ingredients, except for the spinach and pine nuts. Bring to a simmer and let it cook for about 10 minutes. Mix in the spinach and remove from the heat. Top with pine nuts and enjoy with flatbread.

For the flatbread: 

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together until well blended. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture, and then add olive oil, maple syrup, and most of the water (saving a few tablespoons to add later as necessary). Switch to a rubber spatula or spoon and stir the wet ingredients into the flour mixture. If the dough seems dry, add the remaining water. When the dough comes together, transfer to a floured work surface and knead 5 to 10 times until smooth. Cover with a clean dish cloth and leave for 10 minutes.

Divide the dough into six equal pieces. Dust each piece in flour and roll into a disc that’s between 1/8-inch and 1/4-inch thick. (Rolling thinner will make thinner bread that’s less soft in the middle. Rolling thicker will make thicker, fluffier bread. Add one to two tablespoons of oil to a skillet placed over medium heat. When the oil looks shimmery, add a flatbread (or more if they fit), and cook until golden brown on one side, flip and cook until golden brown on the second side, 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Transfer cooked flatbread to a plate, cover with a clean dish towel to keep warm, and then continue with the remaining flatbreads. If the skillet looks dry, add a little more oil before continuing.

Mediterranean Chicken

Inspired by Delaney Vetter's recipe on Delish

Ingredients:

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

Thyme

Dill

Paprika

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or skin-on bone-in thighs

1/4 cup chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, plus 4 tbsp. tomato oil, divided

2 red onions, halved, thinly sliced

2 red peppers, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, sliced

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

Juice of 1 lemon, divided 

1/4 cup fresh green herbs (such as oregano, chives, and/or thyme), chopped

Drained capers and feta (for topping)

Directions:

Season the chicken with the spices. In a large pot over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons tomato oil until shimmering. Cook chicken, turning occasionally, until golden brown on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate. In same skillet over medium heat, heat remaining 2 tablespoons tomato oil. Cook onion, stirring occasionally and adding 1 to 2 tablespoons water if onions are getting too dark, until softened and beginning to caramelize, about 12 minutes. Add in the peppers, sun-dried tomatoes and garlic. Cook, stirring, until peppers begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add broth and half of the lemon juice. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Reduce to medium-low and return chicken to skillet. Cover and cook, undisturbed, until chicken is cooked through, 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Squeeze remaining lemon juice over. Top with herbs, capers, and feta. Serve with couscous.

Feta Spring Flatbreads

From Myriad Recipes

 

For the Flatbreads

1 2/3 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 cup Greek yogurt

For the Filling

1/2 cup feta, crushed

2 Tbsp cream cheese

Handful of mint leaves, finely chopped

1/2 cup frozen spinach thawed and chopped, with any excess water squeezed out.

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon black pepper

 

Directions:

In a large bowl, add in your flatbread ingredients. Mix until combined and then knead for 5 minutes until you have a bouncy soft dough. Add more flour if the dough is too sticky. Cover with cling film and set aside while you make your filling. 

Place all of your filling ingredients into a bowl and combine thoroughly (make sure all the water is strained out of the spinach before adding it to your mixture). Set aside. Once your dough has rested, knead it again for 30 seconds and then slice into 4 equal-sized pieces. Take one dough ball and lightly flatten with your fingers until its around ¾ inch thick. Place a large scoop of the filling into the centre of the dough and then bring in all the corners of the dough into the centre, around the feta mixture, and seal the parcel. Turn the parcel over face down and flatten out the dough with your fingers until the flatbread is around ½ inch thick. Set aside with a sprinkle of flour and repeat for the other flatbreads. 

Place a non-stick dry pan on medium to high heat. Gently place your flatbreads into the pan and fry for 3-5 minutes on each side. Keep an eye on them. Flip them over when they are golden-brown. Serve while they're warm and enjoy!

Sous Vide Roast Beef

 Ingredients:

3 lbs Bottom Round Roast (large cut with low fat content)

Salt and pepper

4 cloves of garlic, minced

2 tsp Montreal steak seasoning

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

Salt and pepper the roast. Sear in a pan on high heat with a neutral oil. Place in a large plastic bag with the rest of the ingredients, seal the plastic bag while it is underwater (homemade vacuum!). Cook via sous vide at 135°F for 10 hours. Once it is cooked through, let rest and prepare a sauce using a roux or cornstarch slurry for thickening the juices that have resulted from the cooking. Slice against the grain and serve with mashed potatoes and roasted veggies. Enjoy!

Sausage and White Bean Veggie Skillet

I mostly just threw this together one night based on what I had, but it turned out excellent!

Ingredients:

1 lb ground sausage

1 onion, diced

1 large zucchini, quartered and sliced

Other additional veggies (of your choosing)

Salt

1 can crushed tomatoes

2 cans of white beans (drained)

2 lemons, juiced

Smoked paprika

1/2 Tbsp Chicken or beef base

Parsley

Parmesan

Cook the ground sausage in a skillet over medium high heat. Once browned, remove from pan. In the remaining grease, sautée zucchini, onion, and other veggies of your choosing until tender. Season to taste with salt. Add in the crushed tomatoes, white beans, lemon juice, smoked paprika, the reserved sausage, and the base seasoning. Cook until simmering. Stir in some chopped parsley and shredded parmesan. Top with extra parm and parsley and enjoy! 

Fondue

Ingredients:

1-1.5 cups Chicken broth

1 Tbsp Vinegar or acid (I use apple Cider)

2-3 Tbsp Cornstarch

1.5-2 cups Melting cheeses (I've used a combo of mozzarella and brie (with rind removed), Colby is good; Gruyere, Emmental, Beaufort, and Comté are traditionally used, but more expensive)

1/4-1/2 cup Sautéed minced mushrooms (optional)

Directions:

If using the mushrooms, sautée those first with salt and pepper in some olive oil. Once tender, add chicken broth and a splash of your acid. Bring to a boil. Cut your cheese into small pieces and toss in cornstarch. Add cheese to the broth and vigorously mix until the cheese has thoroughly melted. As an extra step, you can scoop the fondue into a shallow, oven safe dish, top with a thin layer of shredded cheese, and broil for 5 min. 

Yummy things to dip!

Broccoli
Carrots
Green Beans
Potatoes
Bread (sourdough :))
Salami
Italian Sausage
Kielbasa
Ham
Apples
Pears

Sourdough Pizza Crust

Ingredients : 

900 g starter

1000 g flour

400 g water

1/2 c oil

1-2 Tbsp Salt

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients together, set aside for 30 min.

Knead/fold a couple times until smooth. Don't over-work it!

Divide into portions (not required, but makes it easier later), refrigerate overnight.

Remove from the fridge 2-3 hours before using.

Stretch out, let set, stretch again until desired size is achieved.

Pierce the center with a fork and bake on a hot sheet tray (or pizza stone) in an oven heated to the highest temperature for 5 min.

Add desired toppings, bake 7-8 min or until golden brown and bubbly.

Topping Ideas :

(mozz blend = mostly shredded mozzarella with some shredded medium or sharp yellow cheddar mixed in; the best melt with result from cheese freshly grated, NOT pre-shredded)

Hawaiian

Red sauce, mozz blend, Canadian bacon/ham, pineapple (mushrooms and bacon are good too)

Combo/Supreme

Red sauce, mozz blend, pepperoni, ground Italian sausage, black olives, green/red bell pepper, red onion

European

Red sauce, mozz blend, fresh mozz, anchovies, red onion, Kalamata olives, marinated artichoke

Green Goddess

Pesto/Garlic butter, spinach, mozz blend, feta, chicken, marinated artichoke, green bell pepper, arugula (kalamata olives and mushrooms are good too)

Margarita/Nepolitano

Red sauce, mozz blend, fresh mozz, sliced tomatoes, basil

BBQ Chicken

BBQ sauce, mozz blend, cooked chicken, red onion, cilantro (blue cheese and bacon are good too)

White Tuxedo

White sauce, mozz blend, bacon, fresh garlic, oregano, arugula

Ultimate cheese pizza

Red sauce, mozz blend, feta, parm, shredded provolone

Philly cheese steak

Red sauce, mozz blend, thinly sliced steak, red onion, green bell pepper, mushroom, shredded provolone

Nacho pizza

Refried beans, cheddar, black olives, chopped tomato, crumbled tortilla chips, drizzle of sour cream and salsa, green onion, corn, cilantro, red onion

Modena

Garlic butter, mozz blend, mushrooms, goat cheese, spinach, arugula, reduced balsamic drizzle

Milano

Red sauce, mozz blend, prosciutto, burrata

Hobbit

Garlic butter/béchamel, mozz blend, thinly sliced golden potato, thinly sliced sweet onion, thyme, olive oil drizzle

Mexican

Red sauce, mozz blend, ground chorizo, red onion, corn, feta/queso fresco, cilantro

        Pesto Perfection

Pesto, spinach, mozz blend, feta, artichoke, bacon

Indian Lentil Curry (Dahl)

 From the blog "Veggie Desserts"

Ingredients

1 teaspoon olive oil or coconut oil

2 onions diced

3 garlic cloves finely chopped

1 tablespoon fresh ginger peeled and grated (or ½ tablespoon dried ginger)

½ teaspoon finely chopped red chili (or ½ teaspoon dried chili flakes), optional

½ teaspoon cumin seeds

½ teaspoon coriander seeds

½ teaspoon mustard seeds

2 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon garam masala TIP: If you don't have all the whole spices, just use 3 teaspoons of Garam Masala instead.

1 cup (200g) dried red lentils, uncooked (rinsed and drained)

4 carrots, sliced thick

1 zucchini, quartered and sliced thick

1 can (14oz/400ml) chopped tomatoes

1 can (14oz/400ml) coconut milk

2 cups (500ml) vegetable broth/stock

Salt and pepper

Juice of half a lemon or a small splash of vinegar

2 handfuls fresh spinach washed

Cilantro

Directions 

***Stove Top***

Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook gently for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger and red chilli and cook for a few minutes.

Grind the cumin, coriander and mustard seeds lightly in a pestle and mortar, then add to the pan, along with the turmeric and garam masala and cook for 1 minute. 

Add the lentils, tomatoes with their juice, coconut milk and broth/stock, then stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper and cook on a medium/low heat for 15-20 minutes until reduced and thick. If you have time, you can leave it a little longer on a very low heat for even more flavor (just stir often and check it doesn't scorch on the bottom of the pan).Taste and add more chilli if desired. 

Stir in the lemon juice and spinach until it wilts. 

Top with cilantro and serve warm with rice, naan bread or poppadoms.

***Instant Pot***

Set the Instant Pot to 'saute' setting and heat the oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for about 4 minutes until it gets soft but not browned. Add the garlic, ginger and red chili and cook for a minute, then turn off the Instant Pot.

Grind the cumin, coriander and mustard seeds lightly in a pestle and mortar, then add to the pan, along with the turmeric and garam masala and cook, stirring, for 1 minute (there will be enough heat left in the Instant Pot to do this). 

Stir in the lentils, tomatoes, coconut milk and broth/stock. Put the lid on the Instant Pot, close the steam vent and set to Manual (Pressure Cook)/High Pressure pressure using the manual setting, then set the time to 8 minutes.

After the time is up, wait for 10 minutes and then carefully use the quick release valve to release remaining pressure, or let the pressure release naturally. Stir in the lemon juice and the spinach until it wilts and serve!

***Slow Cooker***

Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook gently for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger and red chili and cook for a few minutes.

Grind the cumin, coriander and mustard seeds lightly in a pestle and mortar, then add to the frying pan, along with the turmeric and garam masala and cook for 1 minute.

Add the onion mixture to the bowl of the slow cooker, along with the lentils, tomatoes, coconut milk and broth/stock. Place lid on slow cooker and cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 8-10 hours. Taste and cook longer if necessary for the lentils to be lovely and soft. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the lemon juice and spinach. 

Mediterranean Pasta

 From The Golden Balance via Instagram

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef or lamb

8-10 oz cooked rigatoni pasta (or other pasta of choice)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp oregano

1 jalapeño, finely diced (optional)

1 shallot or small onion finely diced

1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced

1 Tbsp sundried tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes

1/4 cup reserved pasta water

1/4 cup kalamata olives

1 1/2 tsp mint

1/2 cup feta cheese

Olive oil

Arugula

Directions:

Brown the ground beef in a pan. Season with salt, thyme, and oregano. Add jalapeno, shallot, and mushrooms. Sautee until tender. Add sundried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, olives, and pasta water. Stir to combine and cook until the cherry tomatoes soften slightly. Add the pasta and stir until well combined. Plate and top with mint, feta, olive oil, and arugula.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

 From Melanie Pierce

Ingredients:

8 oz penne or bowtie pasta cooked according to package directions

2 Tbsp butter

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips

4 tsp Cajun seasoning, divided

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 1/4 cups parmesan cheese

Chopped parsley (optional)

Directions:

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and 2 tsp of Cajun seasoning. Stir-fry for 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Add cream and remaining 2 tsp of seasoning to the same skillet. Boil gently for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and add parmesan cheese. Stir until cheese is melted and sauce thickens. Add the pasta and chicken. Toss to coat with the sauce. Plate and top with parsley and parmesan, if desired.

Quick and Easy Pizza Crust

 From Chef Rider via AllRecipes

Note: This dough can be made in advance and stored in the fridge overnight. It will be easier to work with and have better flavor when it has been refrigerated.

Ingredients:

1 .25oz package of yeast (or about 2 1/4 tsp)

1 tsp white sugar

1 cup warm water (around 110 degrees F)

2 1/2 cups bread flour

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. In a medium bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in the warm water. Set aside until it has bloomed and it looks creamy, about 10 minutes. Stir in the flour, salt, and oil. Beat until smooth. Let rest for 5 minutes. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat/roll into a large round. Transfer crust to a lightly greased pizza pan or sheet tray. If using a pizza stone and pizza pel, simply place on the pizza peel after dusting with cornmeal. Spread with desired toppings and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Dumplings

 From Haylee Luo

Note: None of these measurements are entirely exact, feel free to adjust as necessary 

Ingredients:

1 package of dumpling wrappers

1/2 of a small cabbage, chopped into small pieces

1 Tbsp salt

3-4 green onions, sliced

1 lb ground pork (Jimmy Dean sage, or your favorite kind)

2 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp sesame oil

1/2 Tbsp fresh ginger (grated or finely diced)

Neutral oil (for pan frying)

Directions:

Mix the salt and cabbage together. Let sit until the cabbage juice starts to come out. Continue to agitate and press the cabbage until all of the water is extracted from the cabbage. Drain. Add the green onions and pork to the cabbage. Mix until well combined. Add the soy sauce, sesame oil, and ginger. Mix until incorporated throughout. Place about a tablespoon of filling in the center of a wrapper. Wet the edges and crimp/fold the edges as desired. Heat a pan (that has a lid) with a drizzle of oil. Add dumplings in a single layer and fry until bottoms are golden brown. Add several tablespoons of water to the pan and cover. Steam until cooked through, about 5-6 minutes. Repeat as necessary with remaining dumplings. The dumplings can be boiled or steamed as well.

Soy Dipping Sauce:

1 tsp sugar

1 Tbsp hot water

2 Tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp rice vinegar

1 tsp garlic, minced

1 tsp ginger, grated or minced

1 tsp sesame seeds

1/2 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

Peanut Dipping Sauce:

2 Tbsp peanut butter

1/2 Tbsp water

1 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp rice vinegar

1 tsp honey or sugar

1 tsp garlic, minced

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp siriacha (optional)

Other filling variations:

Kimchi

1 1/2 cups of kimchi, chopped - squeeze excess liquid or else the dumplings will be soggy! Cornstarch can also be added to bind excess liquid.

1/2 package of firm tofu, crumbled

1 bag of bean sprouts, blanched and chopped

1 egg

3-4 green onions, sliced

2 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp sesame oil

1/2 Tbsp ginger 

1/2 Tbsp garlic, minced

2 tsp salt

Japchae

1 Onion, sliced thinly

1 Red Pepper, finely diced

1 bunch of spinach

2 shredded carrots

2 cups of cooked japchae, chopped (sweet potato noodles)

1 lb ground pork

1 egg

3-4 green onions, sliced

2 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp sesame oil

1/2 Tbsp fresh ginger

1/2 Tbsp garlic, minced

2 tsp salt

(Note: Sautee the veggies in some oil with salt and pepper, ensure all liquid is expelled before you mix in the rest of the filling ingredients.)

Instant Pot Beef Stew

 2 1/2 to 3 lbs beef chuck roast - cubed
Montreal Steak Seasoning
Neutral Oil

Tomato Paste - 6 oz can

Soy Sauce 

Worcestershire Sauce

Beef or Chicken Broth

2 onions, chopped

3 cloves minced garlic

3 carrots, cleaned and cut in bite size pieces

3 small potatoes, cleaned and cut in bite size pieces

3 stalks celery, cleaned and cut in bite size pieces

4 ounces of white mushrooms, sliced

1 t Thyme

3 bay leaves

2 T Corn starch (GF) or all purpose flour (not GF)

Frozen mixed vegetables

Set Instant pot to "Saute". When heated, add a tablespoon of oil. Saute 1/3 of the beef until browned. Season with the Montreal Steak Seasoning. Set aside. Repeat with the rest  of the meat in 2 batches. 

Add all the browned meat with tomato paste, a few shakes of soy sauce and worcestershire sauce, enough beef broth to cover meat, minced garlic and one of the chopped onions. Set to "seal" and cook on high pressure for 30 minutes. You can release lid or let it naturally release. 

Add the 2nd onion, carrots, potatoes, celery, mushrooms bay leaves and thyme. Set lid to seal and cook 4 minutes on high pressure. Manually release lid. Make a slurry of corn starch or flour mixed with water. Set to "saute" and add the slurry. Stir until stew is as thick as desired. Add the frozen vegetables. Leave in just long enough to heat through. Season with salt an pepper to taste. 

Chicken Broccoli Divan

 From Kit Hawkins

Ingredients:

1 can cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup

2 cups rice or quinoa or brown rice (cooked)

2 cups cooked chicken, cubed

1 package frozen broccoli or 2-3 fresh florets (steamed)

1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar

3/4 cup Italian bread crumbs (optional)

Directions:

Layer the chicken and broccoli with some of the cheese in 9x13 pan prepared with cooking spray. Mix the cream of chicken with the rice. Spread on top of the broccoli and chicken. Sprinkle a final layer with the remaining cheese along with the breadcrumbs. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes, until warm and bubbly.

Scallion Fat Noodles

A Pinterest Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 serving (7 oz/200 grams) of fresh thin rice noodles, or equivalent amount of dried noodle
• 2 strips of bacon or pancetta, thinly sliced
• 2 large/5 skinny scallions, cut into thin segments
• 1/2 tsp of ground white pepper, plus more to sprinkle
• 2 tbsp of soy sauce
• 1/2 tbsp of Asian black vinegar or balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 tsp of light brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp of dark soy sauce or hoison sauce

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Meanwhile, cook fatty bacon strips in a skillet over medium-high heat, until rendered and browned, then remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.  Check if there is about 3 tbsp of bacon fat in the skillet, if not, add more oil to meat 3 tbsp.  Heat the oil over high heat until almost smoking, then add the scallions all at once.  Cook until the scallions are deep-browned and almost burnt (very important in order to get the right flavour), stir in the ground white pepper, then turn off the heat and set aside.  Combine soy sauce, black vinegar, light brown sugar and dark soy sauce in the bowl you will be eating in. Cook the noodle according to instructions. Drain the cooked noodle and transfer to the bowl with the soy sauce-mixture.  Add the reserved bacon bits, all the caramelized scallions and all its oil.  Sprinkle with a bit more ground white pepper, mix well, and eat immediately.

Chicken Diablo

From Kathryn-Anne Pertab and Her Mom

Ingredients

3 lb of chicken, cut into pieces
4 Tbsp butter
1/2 c honey
1 tsp salt
1/4 c French's Mustard
1 tsp curry powder

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Mix together butter, honey, salt, mustard, and curry powder in a small saucepan. Heat until simmering, stirring occasionally. Place chicken in a greased baking pan and pour the sauce over. Cook 1 hr, or until chicken is cooked through. Serve over a bed of rice and enjoy!

Salmon en Papillote

From the Pioneer Woman

Ingredients:

1/2 Yukon Gold Potato, Very Thinly Sliced

8 stalks Asparagus, Trimmed, Each Stalk Cut In Half

1 Tablespoon Thinly Sliced Red Onion

6 ounces, weight Center Cut Salmon Fillet

2 teaspoons Olive Oil

3 slices (thin) Lemon

Kosher Salt, Black Pepper, Thyme, and Dill

Fresh Parsley

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Prepare a large oval of parchment paper and fold it in half.

Place thinly sliced pieces of potato on the bottom half of the parchment. Add asparagus pieces and red onion slices. Drizzle 1 teaspoon of olive oil and then sprinkle with seasonings and a little fresh chopped parsley.

Place salmon fillet on the vegetables. Drizzle salmon with the remaining teaspoon olive oil and sprinkle with seasonings. Top with lemon slices and thyme leaves.

Fold the parchment paper over starting at one corner and pinch the edges over to close the packet. When the edges are completely closed, it will look like a calzone!

Bake the packet on a tray on the center rack in the oven. Cook for 14 - 18 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and the salmon is cooked through. Remove and unwrap or cut the top of the packet and serve in the paper. Serve immediately.

Note:

Other delicious pairings include

    Fresh corn, onions, and cherry tomatoes with fresh tarragon

    Artichoke hearts, peas, and asparagus with fresh chives

    Fresh spinach, cherry tomatoes, olives, and topped with pesto