Zuppa Tuscana

 

For my 176th posting and final posting of 2014, I made Ryan's favorite meal, Zuppa Tuscana from Olive Garden. When we go to Olive Garden for dinner Ryan always gets all you can eat Zuppa Tuscana and spaghetti and meatballs. Ryan's strategy is to have 4 bowls of soup with bread sticks and take home the spaghetti and meatballs and have for lunch and dinner the next day. We all really like this soup and I think I'll be making this many more times.

Ingredients:

1 pound ground sweet Italian sausage

4 pieces of bacon cooked and chopped into bits

1 medium yellow onion

1 glove garlic

4 medium size Yukon gold potato's

6 kale leaves

1 - 32 ounce fat free, reduced sodium chicken stock

16 ounces water
Pinch red pepper flakes

1 cup heavy cream

 

Preparation:

Take a 12" sauté pan and heat to medium high. Add the ground sausage and cook thoroughly. When done, drain off the fat in a colander and discard the fat. Take the sausage and add to a large stock pot you're going to use for the soup.

 

Fry the bacon until crispy. Drain the bacon slices on pepper towels. Discard all but one tablespoon of the bacon fat from the sauté pan. You will use this to sauté the onion and garlic. When the bacon is cool, dice into 1/4" x 1/4" pieces and toss into the stock pot.

 

Dice the onion to 1/8" x 1/8" pieces and mince the garlic. Sauté the onion and garlic on medium heat until translucent, about 10 minutes. Don't be in a rush and burn the onions or garlic. Add the cooked onions and garlic to the stock pot.

 

Cut the potato's into large bite size pieces and add to the stock pot. Remove the stem from the kale leaves and cut the leaves into ribbons and add to the stock pot.

 

Add the chicken stock, water and pinch red pepper flakes to the stock pot. Heat the soup on medium high to just below a boil, reduce to simmer and cook 15 minutes. After 15 minutes the potato's should be fork tender. Lastly, stir in the heavy cream and you're done.

One thing I would recommend time permitting, make this soup mid-day, cover and just let sit on the stove all day slowly cooling to room temperature. The flavors will be so much more rich. Re-heat and serve in the evening.

Asian Cucumber Salad

Crisp, crunchy and delicious!

Ingredients:
1 large cucumber
2 diced green onions
1/4 diced red bell pepper
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
sesame seeds

Preparation:
Peel the cucumber and cut in half lengthwise. Use a small spoon and scoop out the seeds. Slice the cucumber into 1/4" thick pieces. Place the cucumber into a 1 quart Ziploc bag and add 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar. Marinate the cucumber for an hour or more if possible.

Drain the rice wine vinegar from the cucumber and place into a bowl. Stir in the red bell pepper, green onions and cilantro. Place a portion of cucumber salad into a serving bowl or plate and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Roasted Chicken Breast Dinner

This is one of my favorite dinner combinations. I use Inglehoffer stone ground mustard to coat the chicken breast for roasting which brings a great flavor to the meat. I serve this over rice pilaf with a little chicken gravy. Lastly, I steam some green beans and then sauté with some garlic, butter, salt and  pepper.

 

Ingredients:

Chicken breast, bone in skin on 

Stone ground mustard

Trader Joe's savory broth chicken flavor

1 tablespoon Wondra flour

Rice pilaf

Green beans

1 minced garlic clove

1/2 tablespoon butter

 

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Take the chicken breast and cut off the thin portion with your poultry shears. There isn't really any meat on this part of the breast and this will make for a better plate presentation. Coat the chicken breast with a thick layer of stone ground mustard and place on a baking pan and into the over for 30 minutes.

 

When the chicken is done, remove from the pan to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes. After 5 minutes use a fork and small knife to cut off the breast meat from the bone. This is actually very easy to do. Place the chicken breast on the cutting board and slice into 5 or 6 pieces for service.

 

While the chicken is cooking, prepare the rest of the meal. Cook the rice pilaf according to directions on the package. The rice pilaf takes about 20 minutes and will be ready when the chicken is ready.

 

Next, steam the green beans which should take about 15 minutes. When cooked, rinse in cold water, drain and set a side. Take a 10" sauté pan and add the butter and garlic and sauté 1 minute and add the green beans and sauté until heated.

 

To make the chicken gravy, put 1/2 cup cold water into a small microwavable bowl. Add 1 packet savory broth and Wondra flour. Mix well and microwave for 30 seconds, stir and repeat. As the gravy heats up it will thicken because of the flour.

 

To serve, place a portion of rice on the plate. Add the sliced breast meat and spoon on some gravy. Place some green beans on the plate and you're done.

 

 

  

Ground Beef Tostada

I used to love the .59 cent tostada at Taco Bell. I haven't had one in many many years, but I really had a craving for a simple tostada. To make the tostada I like the tostada shells from Guerrero and red taco sauce from La Victoria. The red taco sauce is mild and almost reminds me of enchilada sauce.

Ingredients:
Refried beans
Ground beef
Trader Joe's taco seasoning
Shredded iceberg lettuce
Chopped tomato
Diced yellow onion
Sliced black olives
Cilantro

Preparation:

To make a quick taco meat, fry your ground beef and add some Trader Joe's taco seasoning. Their seasoning comes in little packets and is very tasty. Mix the taco seasoning with the
cooked ground beef and your done.

 

To assemble your tostada, place a tostada shell on a serving plate. Spread some refried beans onto the tostada shell. Add ground beef, shredded lettuce, tomato, onion, olives, shredded cheese and chopped cilantro. Drizzle on some taco sauce and you're done. Avocado and sour cream are nice upgrades if available.

Eggplant & Zucchini Parmesan with Lemon Parsley Pasta

I didn't make this recipe up, but I wish I did. This is really one of the best meals I've made in a long time. This is not terribly difficult, but time consuming. You got to give this one a try! 

 

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant
1 large zucchini
2 egg whites
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Marinara sauce
Mozzarella cheese
1/2 pound spaghetti
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/8 cup Italian Parsley
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind

Salt and pepper
 

Preparation:

Use a vegetable peeler and peel the eggplant and then slice into 3/4" thick pieces. Next, take the zucchini and slice at an angle about 1/2" thick.

 

Next, prepare the breading for the vegetables. Take a shallow dish like a glass pie pan and mix the egg whites. Take a second shallow dish and add the panko bread crumbs, parmesan cheese and salt and pepper.

 

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Take a baking pan and cover with aluminum foil. Take the eggplant and zucchini slices and dredge in the egg whites and then in the bread crumb mixture and place on the baking tray. Bake for 20 minutes turning once after ten minutes. After 20 minutes take some marinara sauce and cover the eggplant and zucchini. Put some shredded mozzarella on top of the sauce and bake another 15 minutes.

 

While the parmesan is baking, start the lemon parsley pasta by cooking your pasta in a large stock pot filled with salted water. Cook the pasta to al dente, firm to the bite. While the pasta is cooking, grate the rind of the lemon and then juice the lemon. Lastly, rough chop some parsley.

 

When the pasta is done, drain and place the pasta in a large sauté pan. Add the olive oil, lemon rind, lemon juice and parsley. Heat the pan to medium high and toss the pasta and prepare to serve.

 

To serve, place a portion of pasta on a serving plate. Take the eggplant and zucchini parmesan out of the oven and place two slices of eggplant and one zucchini on the plate. Garnish the dish with chopped Italian parsley and fresh ground black pepper.

Grilled Tomato's

Here's one of my favorite sides to serve with steak. I cook this on an indoor grill pan with a little olive oil and salt and pepper, perfect!

Ingredients:
2 beef steak tomato's
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Preparation:

Heat an indoor grill pan to medium high. Slice the top and bottom off the tomato's and then slice into 3 pieces about 3/4" thick. Brush on some olive oil, grind on some salt and pepper and place the tomato's on the grill pan. You want to grill the tomato's so they are cooked on the outside, but firm in the middle, this should take about 5 minute per side.

 

To serve, place the grilled tomato's on a serving plate and sprinkle with chopped Italian parsley.

Banana Pepper Cesar Salad

The mild banana peppers and cherry tomatoes are a nice addition to your traditional Cesar salad.

Ingredients:
1 head romaine lettuce
1/2 cup sliced mild banana peppers
1 cup sliced cherry tomatoes
4 tablespoons Gerard's light Cesar salad dressing
Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

Cut the romaine lettuce leaves into bite size pieces. Wash the lettuce in cold water, rinse and dry in your salad spinner. Place the lettuce into a large salad bowl and add the banana peppers and cherry tomato's. Add the salad dressing and mix really well to make sure the salad dressing is well incorporated.

To serve, place a portion of salad on a serving plate and garnish with parmesan cheese.

Chicken and Rice Casserole

Nothing like a great casserole on a rainy day!

Ingredients:
2 chicken half breasts
2 cans non fat cream of mushroom soup
Large handful of spinach leaves
1/4 cup peas
1/4 cup corn
1/2 yellow onion
2 minced garlic
1 tablespoon crumbled bacon
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup shredded cheese
1 Tablespoon chopped Italian parsley
2 green onions, diced
1 cup white rice

Preparation:
Place 2 cups water, 1 cup rice and 1 teaspoon salt in your rice cooker. Cook the rice ahead of time. When the rice is done remove the lid and let cool until you're ready to assemble the casserole.
 

Heat a 10" sauté pan to medium high. Add the olive oil, onion and garlic. Sauté for about 7 minutes so the onion and garlic are translucent. Add the bacon, peas, corn and spinach and toss until the spinach leaves cook down. Once the spinach leaves and cooked down mix in the 2 cans of  cream of mushroom soup. Turn off the heat and assemble the casserole.

 

Prepare your baking dish by spraying with canola oil. Take the cooked rice and place into the bottom of the baking dish. Take the chicken mixture and place on top of the rice. Sprinkle the top of the casserole with bread crumbs and then shredded cheese. Cook the casserole at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

 

To serve, place a portion of chicken and rice casserole on a serving plate and garnish with chopped Italian parsley and diced green onions.

Cracked Pepper Crusted Blue Cheese Hamburger

On a recent trip through Boise ID we ate at a restaurant called the Yard House. They're a beer place and have over 100 beers on tap and you can taste all you like and hopefully decide on one. This is a pretty cool spot for sure. For dinner I had the cracked pepper gorgonzola burger and it was killer.

A couple of weeks later I made my own version using organic grass fed beef, cracked pepper crust and  lite blue cheese. The cracked pepper crust is so amazing because you taste the pepper, but not the spiciness of the pepper. Match that with the organic beef and blue cheese and this is one of my favorite burgers ever.

 

Ingredients:

1 pound 93/7 grass fed organic beef. 1/3 pound for each patty

Treasure cave lite blue cheese

2 tablespoons cracked pepper

green leaf lettuce

Best Foods lite mayonnaise

Brioche bun

 

Preparation:

Take your hamburger and form into patties. Make the patties  about 6" wide by 1/2" thick. This would be a good 2" wider than the bun. The reason is that as the patty cooks it will shrink up quite a bit.

Next prepare the cracked pepper. Lay out a couple of tablespoons of black peppercorns on a sturdy cutting board. Use a large 10" sauté pan to crack the pepper. To do this you want to have the pan at a slight angle and crack the pepper near the edge of the pan rocking the pan back and forth. You'll know you're doing in right because you'll hear the peppercorns cracking. Once all the peppercorns are cracked, take a hamburger patty and press on a layer of cracked peppercorns on each side.

Take a 12" sauté pan and heat to medium high and add the hamburger patties. Cook on each side for 3 minutes and then check for doneness. You can check by using an instant read thermometer. You want the temperature of the hamburger to be 125 degrees for perfect medium rare. When the hamburgers are almost done add 2 tablespoon blue cheese to each patty. When the patties are done, remove from the sauté pan and set on a plate for 5 minutes. This will allow the hamburger settle so the juices don't shoot out all over the place when you take your first bite and will also allow the blue cheese to melt.

To assemble the burger, take the buns and place in a 350 degree over for 2 minutes. You want the buns warmed through, but not crispy and dry. Slice the bun in half and spread on some mayo on the bottom piece. Next add some green leaf lettuce and then the hamburger patty. Take the top piece of bun and spread on some mayo and your done. Serve with a simple salad for an amazing meal.

Penne Pasta with Aidells Spicy Mango with Jalapino Chicken Sausage

Here's a simple pasta dish that has loads of flavor and I love this new spicy mango with jalapeño chicken sausage from Aidells!

 

Ingredients:

1/2 pound Barilla penne pasta

3 Aidells mango with jalapeño chicken sausage

1/2 yellow bell pepper

1/2 red bell pepper

1/4 cup diced yellow onion

3 cloves crushed garlic

1 tablespoon olive oil

Chopped Italian parsley

Sat and pepper

 

Preparation:

Take a large stock pot and fill with water. Add 1 tablespoon salt and bring to boil. Cook the pasta according to directions which is usually 10 minutes to al dente which is firm to the bite. Drain the pasta and set a side.

 

Heat a 10" sauté pan to medium and a dash of olive oil and add the sausages. Cook the sausages so the browned on all sides. When done set a side to cool. Once cool, slice the sausages on an angle and set a side. 

 

Cut the bell peppers into about 1/4" x 1-1/2" strips. Heat a 12" sauté pan to medium high. Add one tablespoon olive oil and the bell pepper, onion and garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes or until you see the bell peppers starting to turn translucent. Add the sausage, pasta and another tablespoon of olive oil and toss to heat up to serving temp.

 

To serve, place a portion of pasta on a serving plate. Drizzle with some olive oil and top with parmesan cheese, a dash of red pepper flakes, chopped Italian parsley and a grind of salt and pepper.   

Broccoli Beef

One of my favorite Chinese dishes is broccoli beef. For this dish I used a sauce from Lee Kum Kee called Sauce for Broccoli Beef, how easy is that? What's best about this dish is that it tastes like you just ordered it in a Chinese restaurant.

 

Ingredients:
1 cup long grain white rice

3/4 pound beef. In this dish I used sliced Flat Iron steak, but flank steak, skirt steak, new york steak or rib eye would work great. 

Broccoli
2 cloves sliced garlic
1 teaspoon avocado oil

Diced green onion

chopped cilantro

 

Preparation:
Prepare your rice in a rice cooker according to the package directions which is usually 1 cup rice, 2 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt.
 

Prepare the broccoli by using a stove top steamer to steam the broccoli. Cook the broccoli about five minutes so it's cooked, but still is firm to the bite, also called al dente. When cooked, rinse in cold water and set a side.

Take a 12" sauté pan and heat to high. Add the avocado oil and let heat 30 seconds. Add the beef and garlic and cook 2 minutes. Add the broccoli and toss until heated and your done.
 

 To serve, place some rice on a serving plate and top with broccoli beef. Garnish the dish with diced green onions and cilantro.  

Pumpkin Soup

Here's a quick and easy soup that I will sometimes make for lunch. In this version I left out the dairy, but if you want to take this soup to the next level of richness, add 1/4 cup half and half and a tablespoon of butter.

 

Ingredients:

32oz organic chicken broth

1 can Farmers Market organic pumpkin available at Whole Foods

Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Combine the chicken stock and organic pumpkin in a large stock pot and bring to boil. Reduce the heat and let simmer for 10 minutes. Take half the soup and blend until silky smooth. Blend the rest of the soup and check for proper salt and you're done. 

Roasted Beet and Blue Cheese Salad

I love the roasted beet and blue cheese combination. The key to this salad for me is to keep it as healthy as possible by using the proper ingredients. I like Treasure Cave reduced fat blue cheese and Opa brand Greek yogurt blue cheese salad dressing. This dressing is so good and only has 6 grams of fat per serving.

  

Ingredients:

1 head green leaf lettuce

Opa Greek yogurt blue cheese salad dressing

Roasted beets. Found in most grocery stores and Trader Joe's

Treasure cave reduced fat blue cheese

Fresh ground pepper

 

Preparation:

Prepare you lettuce by cutting the lettuce into bite size pieces washing in a salad spinner. Make sure the lettuce is perfectly dry because if there is water on the lettuce, the salad dressing will get watered down and won't be nearly as good. Place the prepared lettuce in a large salad bowl and toss with the blue cheese dressing.

 

To serve, place a portion of the salad on a plate. Top with chopped roasted beets, blue cheese and a grind of fresh ground pepper.

Sweet Hot Mustard Roasted Chicken Breast

It's simple....it's easy...it's awesome. It's sweet hot mustard roasted chicken breast.

 

Ingredients:

Chicken half breast, bone in, skin on
Beaver brand hot sweet mustard
Salt and pepper

Preparation:
Rinse the chicken breasts in cold water and set on some paper towels to dry. For a more attractive presentation, take your poultry shears and cut off the thin boney section of the chicken breast.

Place the chicken breasts on a baking pan and brush on a thick layer of sweet hot mustard and then a grind of salt and pepper. Take your spray canola and spray on a thin coating, this will keep the mustard from burning. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 - 40 minutes depending on thickness of the meat. Use a thermometer to check the temperature,which should be 160 degrees or higher when done. 

Black Pepper White Beans and Rice with Chipotle Chorizo Chicken Sausage

While this recipe is close to my red beans and rice dish, the black pepper white beans have a completely different flavor because there is no tabasco sauce in the beans, just lots of fresh ground black pepper.

Interestingly, when you add 1 to 2 teaspoons fresh ground pepper, you don't really notice the spiciness of the pepper, but rather the flavor of the pepper. Pair the black pepper white beans up with a chipotle chorizo sausage for an awesome meal.

 

Ingredients:

1 package al fresco chicken sausage

2 cans Bushes white beans

Salt to taste

1 - 2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper to taste

1 teaspoon olive oil

Dice green onions

Preparation:

Preparation: Rice

Start the rice off in a rice cooker first and it will be done just as everything else is coming together. 1 cup of white basmati rice to 2 cups of water and teaspoon salt.

 

Preparation: Beans

Drain and rinse the beans and add to a sauce pan. Add 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. Once heated take a large fork or potato masher and mash 1/2 of the beans. Add 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper and some salt. Taste the beans and if you can't taste the pepper add another teaspoon. Mix in the olive oil and turn off the heat while preparing the rest of the dish.
 

Preparation: Sausages

The sausages are usually already cooked so all you want is to heat in a sauté pan until golden brown.
 

To serve, place some rice on the plate, use a mold for presentation if you like. Add some beans to the plate and top with a sausage and garnish with fresh ground black pepper and diced green onions.

Sautéed Garlic Eggplant

One of my goals of my blog is to have  many eggplant recipes because they are so good and so good for you. Here is just a straight up sautéed garlic eggplant recipe, but the key to cooking sautéed eggplant is that you add the garlic at the end of the cooking process so the garlic doesn't burn.

 

Ingredients:

2 medium eggplant

6 cloves crushed garlic

1 tablespoon olive or avocado oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Red pepper flakes

 

Preparation:

Peel the eggplant and cut into 3/4" cubes. Add the avocado oil to a 12' sauté pan and then the eggplant and toss to mix in the oil. Cover and cook the eggplant on medium stirring every few minutes so all the sides of the eggplant get browned. The eggplant actually takes longer than you think cook, about 20 minutes.

 

After 15 minutes, add the crushed garlic and mix well. Continue to cook the eggplant for another 5 minutes stirring regularly and you're done.

 

To serve, place the eggplant on a serving dish and garnish with red pepper flakes, finely chopped Italian parsley and salt and pepper to taste.  

 

Crock Pot Vodka Chicken

This is why I love cooking; I have a couple of chicken breasts and a jar of Emeril's Vodka sauce....and a crock pot. Five minutes of preparation and 6 hours later, BAM...so good!

 

Ingredients:

2 half chicken breasts

1 jar Emeril's Vodka Sauce

1/2 pound pasta of choice

 

Preparation:

Rinse the chicken breasts in cold water and add to the bottom of a crock pot. Pour on the vodka sauce, set the crock pot for 6 hours and that's it.

 

Prepare your pasta of choice according to directions. To serve, place a portion of pasta on the serving plate. Place some chicken and sauce on the pasta and garnish with parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, fresh ground black pepper and chopped Italian parsley.

Southwestern Chicken Caesar Salad

This is a really nice diversion from the standard chicken Caesar salad. The roasted corn, black bean cilantro and peppery crunchy croutons fit right in with the garlicky Caesar dressing.

Ingredients: Serves 2

Romaine lettuce
4 tablespoons Girard's light Caesar dressing
1 large grilled and diced chicken breast
2 crushed garlic cloves
3/4 cup roasted corn
3/4 cup black beans
1/2 bunch chopped cilantro
Croutons, home made if possible
Parmesan cheese
Black pepper

Preparation:
Mince 2 cloves of garlic and mix in with the salad dressing in a small bowl and set a side.

Rinse, dry and cut up into bit size pieces 1 large head of romaine lettuce and place in a large salad bowl. Make sure the lettuce is very dry because if there is any water on the lettuce it will dilute the salad dressing and dilute the flavor.

What I like to do is mix in half the chicken, corn, black beans, and cilantro and toss with the salad dressing. I then take the other half of the ingredients and place on top of the salad.

Finish the salad with croutons and fresh grated parmesan cheese and ground black pepper.

Fish Tacos

I love Rubio's fish tacos. We don't have Rubio's in the Northwest and I don't get to California that much anymore, so I'm on the quest to make the perfect copy cat Rubio's fish taco with black pepper beans. Stay tuned...

This recipe is a solid fish taco, but it's not Rubio's. The key to this taco being so good is the uncooked flour tortilla. When you cook the tortilla yourself it takes the taco to a whole other level. Second, you have to find the right battered frozen fish fillets. This time I use Haddock. It had the right batter, cooked up nice, but I didn't think the flavor was all that great. Next time I'll stick with battered cod.
 

Ingredients:
Tortilla land uncooked flour tortilla's
Frozen battered fish filets
Shredded lettuce
Shredded Monterey jack cheese
1/2 bunch chopped cilantro
1 large avocado
1/2 cup light sour cream

Preparation:
Heat the over to 450 degrees and place the frozen fish on a baking sheet and cook for 15 minutes turning once. While the fish is cooking, prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Take the avocado and combine with the light sour cream. You can completely mix in the avocado or leave slightly chunky depending how you like it. Shred 1/4 head iceberg lettuce and set a side. Chop the cilantro and set a side.

To make the fish taco's heat a 12" sauté pan to medium high. Toss on two 6" flour tortilla's and cook about 30 seconds per side. Please the tortilla's into a taco holder. Add some shredded lettuce and a crispy fish fillet. Top the taco with the avocado sour cream sauce, cilantro, jack cheese and a couple dashes of hot sauce.

Serve with black pepper beans:

Chicken and Zucchini Pad Thai

I've tried to make Pad Thai from scratch and it never turns out like the way you think Pad Thai should taste. However, there are some really good sauces that allow you to make a perfect Pad Thai dinner. The key to getting Pad Thai right is to use the proper noodle so it doesn't taste like Pad Thai spaghetti. I use Well-Pac Japanese Udon Noodles and they're perfect.

 

Ingredients:

Japanese udon noodles

1 small diced chicken breast
1 small dice zucchini
1/2 diced yellow onion
4 - 5 diced green onions
4 crushed garlic cloves
Pinch red pepper flakes
1 bunch chopped cilantro
chopped nuts
1 tablespoon olive oil

Preparation:
Cook the udon noodles according to the package which is in boiling water for 5 minutes. When cooked, rinse in cold water and set a side.

Take a 12" sauté pan and heat to medium. Add the olive oil, onion, garlic, green onions and cook for a couple of minutes just until the onion starts to turn translucent.

Add the diced chicken, zucchini and cilantro and red pepper. Turn up the heat to hi and cook until the chicken is cooked through. Add the Pad Thai sauce and udon noodles and heat and toss until everything is well incorporated.

To serve, place a portion of Pad Thai on a plate and garnish with chopped nuts, chopped cilantro and diced green onions.

Crock Pot Chicken and Biscuits

This is awesome comfort food for sure. Maybe it the fall weather setting in, but I just had a craving for make a crock pot dish. This is really easy to prepare and absolutely killer comfort.

Ingredients:
 

4 medium large chicken breast

1 can condensed cream of chicken soup

1 can of condensed cream of celery soup
1 table spoon butter
1 medium onion diced fine
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup milk
4 tablespoons Wondra flour
1 package Pillsbury Grand's biscuits

Preparation:
Set your crock pot to 6 hours. Add the chicken breast to the crock pot. Sprinkle the diced onion on the chicken. Add the cream of chicken soup and cream of celery soup to the pot and mix in. Let the chicken cook for 4 hours.

 

After 4 hours you want to thicken up the sauce. Add the flour to the milk and mix in really well so there are no lumps. Pour the mixture in the crock pot and mix in. This should thicken up the sauce nicely.

Next take the biscuits out of the package and cut each biscuit into 4 pieces. Take the biscuit pieces and place on the top of the chicken so they cover the entire surface. Cook for another 2 hours and you're done.

 

To serve, place some sauce on a serving plate and add a couple of pieces of chicken, couple of biscuits and garnish with a salt and pepper and a little chopped parsley.

 

 

Grilled Grass Fed Rib Eye Steak with Scalloped Potato Stack

You can't go wrong with a grilled rib eye steak and potato dish....

Ingredients:
Bone in rib eye steak
Russet potato's
Sliced yellow onion
Cheddar cheese
Light sour cream
salt and pepper

Preparation: Steak
Heat your grill to hi heat. Coat each steak with olive oil and generous salt and pepper. If your steak is 1" thick, follow these instructions.

Place the steaks on the grill 45 degrees to the grate. Cook for 3 minutes 30 seconds. Flip the steak and cook for another 3 minutes 30 seconds. . After a total of 7 minutes the steak should be on the rare side of medium rare. Cook 1 extra minute if you like medium. Place the steaks on a plate and tent cover the steaks with aluminum foil for 3 - 4 minutes. Perfection!

 

Preparation: Potato Stack
Peel the russet potato's and use your mandolin to slice the potato's very thin. Use the mandolin to also slice some yellow onion, you don't need much.

 

I use a metal 3" ring mold to make this scalloped potato dish. Place the ring molds on to a baking pan and spray the inside of the ring mold and bottom of the baking pan with olive oil or canola oil.

 

Place slices of potato in the ring mold about 1/3 of the way to the top. Add a couple of slivered
yellow onion, it doesn't take much. Add a little sprinkle of shredded cheddar and a pinch of salt and pepper.

 

Create another layer by adding more potato till your about 2/3's the way up to the top followed by a few slivered onions, cheddar cheese and salt and pepper. Top the scalloped potato with a little more cheese.

 

Cover the potato's with aluminum foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

 

When done cooking use a oven mitt and hold the ring mold and use a sharp knife to cut the potato loose. Take a spatula and take the ring mold to the serving plate and slide the ring mold off.

 

Top the scalloped potato with lite sour cream, sprinkle of cheddar cheese and green onion.

Garlic and Red Pepper Flake Sautéed Asparagus

Here is a quick and simple preparation for asparagus that's so good. The key to this dish is to cook the asparagus half way and then add the garlic and red pepper. By doing this the garlic and pepper won't over cook and become bitter or burnt.

Ingredients:

1 bunch asparagus

4 garlic cloves

Pinch red pepper flakes

Preparation:
Cut the asparagus at an angle into 3/4" pieces. Heat a 10" sauté pan to medium high and when hot add 1 table spoon avocado oil. The reason I like avocado oil is that it's every bit as healthy for you as olive oil, but it has a higher burn temp so it works better for  sautéing.

Cook the asparagus for 5 minutes or until the asparagus starts to soften. Add the crushed garlic and red pepper. Sauté another couple of minute and serve.