With the summer quickly ending and autumn beginning, I decided that time to make this light meal was dwindling. My boyfriend and I made this lemony dish for a sunday afternoon lunch. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
4 pieces of chicken breast
6 tbsp butter
3 tbsp olive oil
4 lemons
3/4 c. chicken stock
1/4 c. capers
fresh parsley
flour
salt and pepper
pasta of your choice
1. Salt and pepper chicken and then dredge in flour
2. In a large pan on medium heat, melt 3 tbsp of butter and 3 tbsp of olive oil and cook chicken until browned, can still be uncooked in the middle
3. Take the chicken out of pan
4. In the pan add all the juice from the lemons (about 1/2 cup), 3/4 c. chicken stock, capers, and 2 tablespoons of butter. Use a whisk to mix making sure to scrape the bottom.
5. Place chicken back into the sauce and simmer for 4-5 minutes
6. Serve over pasta with generous amounts of parsley and sauce on top.
The past couple days have been chilly and rainy here in Denver and I am welcoming autumn with open arms. I met my brother for wings at our favorite pub the other day and he mentioned that he made my tortilla soup for lunch. I had forgotten that I ever made tortilla soup so I scrounged through my recipes and made it today for my mother and I. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
olive oil
2 onions (white or yellow, chopped)
2 garlic cloves (minced)
2 jalapenos (minced)
1 can of black beans
1 cup of corn
3 large tomatoes or 6 little guys (chopped)
2 avocados
1 quart chicken stock
corn tortillas (how ever many you desire)
shredded or chopped chicken (optional)
cheese (optional)
lime (optional but strongly advised)
1.) In a very large pot, add enough olive oil to cover surface of the bottom (2-3 tablespoons). Turn to medium high heat and add the onion, garlic, jalapenos, and tomatoes and cook until the onions are translucent.
2.) Add chicken stock, corn, and black beans and continue to simmer.
3.) Cook your chicken and shred it. Add the shredded chicken to the pot and season with salt and pepper. Let the pot simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Tortilla strips
1.) Heat your oven to 400 degrees
2.) Cut your corn tortillas into strips that are about as wide as your fingers.
3.) Spread your cut tortillas onto a cookie sheet with parchment paper (they can be on top of each other but spread them out best that you can)
4.) Drizzle with olive oil.
5.) Pop them in the oven for 5 minutes and see if they are crispy. Turn them if they are not. This might take 2 or 3 times.
Put the soup in a bowl. Top with tortilla strips, a generous amount of cheese, avocado slices, and a lime and enjoy!
Today I went bike riding with a friend who is in Denver for a week. By the time we got home I was starving and thirsty. This light pasta did me well and I hope it does the same for you.
Ingredients (all subject to preference):
whole wheat penne (save some of the pasta water)
sun dried tomatoes
cherry tomatoes
butter
onions (cut thinly)
bacon
feta (crumbled)
garlic (chopped)
olives
basil
crushed red pepper flakes
oregano
salt & pepper
1.) Cook the penne and set aside. Remember to save some pasta water!
2.) Cook the bacon until done and set aside.
3.) Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large saute pan- add onions and salt. Stir every few minutes until caramelized. Add garlic and sun dried tomatoes and saute for a minute.
4.) Add olives, basil, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes to the pan and saute for a minute then add 3 tablespoons of pasta water and toss in the pasta.
5.) Add cherry tomatoes, bacon and feta.
Now, ENJOY!
I recently spent some time with many friends up near Vail, CO. In these friends is a Texan who, for breakfast on a lethargic morning, cooked up some bacon gravy while another friend, A Raw Harvest, made biscuits. I don't normally eat or use bacon or meat to cook but buscuits and gravy are the exception. Drop Buscuits (adapted from an old Betty Crocker book):
2 c. flour
1 tablespoon double acting baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 c. shortening
1 1/2 c. milk
Preheat the oven to 450
1.) Cut the shortening into the flour, salt, and baking powder in a large mixing bowl. ( I never use knifes or tools to cut. My preference is to use my fingers to break apart the shortening into tiny pieces. This motion is somewhat like the hand symbol for money, sliding my thumb across my fingers starting at my pinky to my pointer finger. But feel free to use whatever tools you feel comfortable with.)
2.) Add in milk. Use a fork to mix the dry and liquid together completely.
3.) Drop heaping spoonfuls of mix onto a parchment paper (with a baking stone or pan underneath).
Cook for 12-16 minutes or until golden brown.
Bacon Gravy:
bacon
flour
milk
salt & pepper
1.) Place the bacon into a Sauté pan, cook thoroughly, and remove the bacon. Eat a few slices if you are hungry or just save them for later.
2.) Add flour (about 1/6th of a cup at a time) until the mixture pulls away from the pan and balls up. Continue to whisk on heat until the mixture is a brown color (as seen in the top right corner of the image below).
3.) Gradually add milk (smaller portions of milk make life easier) and continue to whisk. At first it might be a little bit chunky, it is ok they will whisk out eventually. Do not get frustrated-- gravy is your friend.
4.) Season with salt and pepper.
My current food obsession is yellow squash and zucchini. My affair with the two started in Brooklyn in a large serving of Tajine.
This recipe is a favorite of my Brother and me.
Enjoy this veggie hefty pasta.
Rustic Veggie Sauce:
1 can of diced tomato
1 can of tomato sauce
1 onion (red or white)
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 c. bell pepper
1 1/2 c. zucchini (thinly chopped)
1 1/2 c. yellow squash (thinly chopped)
1/3 c. red wine (optional but advised)
oregano
crushed red pepper
cinnamon
salt and pepper
*add grilled and sliced spicy italian sausage (if you're into that sort of thing)
1.) In a large pot with a drizzle of olive oil add onions, garlic, bell pepper, zucchini, and yellow squash until all veggies are soft.
2.) Add salt, pepper, oregano, and a dash of cinnamon. Sauté for 5 minutes.
3.) Add both cans of tomato and wine. Let this simmer for 20 min before serving.
Top with fresh mozzarella.
Basic Egg Pasta Dough:
2 1/4 c. of all-purpose flour
3 eggs, beaten
1.) Make a mound of flour on your work surface. In the center make a well large enough to fit the eggs inside.
2.) Using your fork, incorporate all of the flour into your egg mixture.
3.) Kneed the dough for 2-3 minutes. Add flour until dough is smooth and no longer sticky.
4.) Wrap dough in plastic wrap for 20 minutes before rolling it out.
Follow the directions to roll out pasta on your pasta machine.
Then fold the thin slab of pasta and cut into the width of your choice.
Boil for 3-5 minutes depending on the thickness of your pasta.
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