Hearty Chicken Soup

When my family has a cold or flu, this soup is the perfect remedy. It is easy to make and the result is hearty and delicious. What a great way to warm up on a cold day!

Ingredients:

6-8 pieces bone-in chicken (I use thighs and breasts)
3 cups water
2 tsp salt
ground black pepper to taste
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
or
1 bundle fresh sage, thyme & parsley, tied with a string
1 small onion, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
3 carrots, diced
2 cups canned chicken broth

Cooked noodles or rice

Instructions:

Place chicken in a large saucepan, add water and seasonings. Cover and bring to a boil. Turn down heat and simmer for 30-45 minutes. Turn off heat and remove chicken from cooking liquid. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the skin, cartilage and bones. Chop the meat into bite-sized pieces. Strain the broth and remove the fat (I use a de-fatting cup, but you can also skim the fat from the top with a spoon.) Return the meat to the pot with the vegetables. Add chicken broth if needed. (The ratio of ingredients to broth should be about 1:3). Cover and bring the soup to a boil. Lower to simmer again for about 20 minutes, until the vegetables are fully cooked. Taste the broth. Adjust the seasonings, adding salt if necessary.

Serve soup piping hot over noodles or rice. It is important to cook and store the noodles separately so that they don't rob the soup of its moisture. Extra soup can be frozen for up to 6 months. This recipe makes a nice, big batch -- enough to serve 8 people.

p.s. -- If you're on a diet, like Whole30, this recipe can be made without the rice & noodles.  Still super-nourishing... just double the veggies or add chopped greens.

Enjoy!

Perfect Baked Squash or Pumpkin

As we get farther into fall, I start to get the yen for all things pumpkin! This is the time of year when we go with the children to choose the pumpkins they'll make into jack-o-lanterns. When we do, I try to get a pie pumpkin and bake it whole. It makes the perfect base for pumpkin pie, soup, or pumpkin muffins. The same method works for both butternut or acorn squash, two other fall favorites!

Ingredients

1-2 pie pumpkins
or
1 medium-sized acorn squash
or
1 large butternut squash

Wash the pumpkin or squash. Remove the stem. Prick the outside skin several times with the tines of a fork. Place on a foil-covered baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for one hour. (If making butternut squash, turn the squash over after 30 minutes.) Check for doneness by piercing with a knife. The flesh should be nice and soft. If done, remove the pumpkin or squash from the oven and allow it to cool slightly. Slice it in half, scoop out and discard the seeds. Now the pumpkin or squash is ready to cut up into other dishes or to be pureed in the blender or food processor.

Cooking these vegetables whole allows the sugars to remain in the flesh and the flavor to intensify without the need for a lot of other seasonings. If you want to make squash as a side-dish, try serving it cut and very lightly salted, or sprinkled with pumpkin pie spice. It is delicious.

Enjoy!

Julia's Greek Tomato Salad

It is August, and fresh, ripe tomatoes are coming out of the garden by the armful. This is one of my favorite ways to enjoy them.

















Ingredients:

3 cups raw baby spinach leaves
5 Roma tomatoes
1 tbs. scallion
20 Kalamata olives
2 tbs. Pesto Presto

Wash and drain spinach. Chop roughly and place in a medium sized mixing bowl. Dice tomatoes and add, with seeds and pulp. Finely slice 1 tbs. of scallion green and roughly chop olives. Toss with spinach and tomatoes. Add pesto and mix thoroughly to distribute throughout salad.

Enjoy!

Ants on a Log

My kids asked me to add this recipe. It's one of their favorite recipes to make all by themselves. I don't mind because it's healthy and fun to do. This recipe also makes a fantastic classroom snack!

Ingredients:

1 package celery hearts
1 jar peanut butter
dried cranberries
raisins
dried cherries
lightly salted peanuts

Wash the celery and trim into 3-inch pieces. Fill each piece of celery with peanut butter. That is your "log". Use cranberries, cherries, raisins, or peanuts as "ants" by lining them up along the peanut butter.

If your child has an allergy to peanut butter, try using softened cream cheese instead. I have even used spreadable strawberry cream cheese. Delicious!

Enjoy!

Broiled Tomatoes with Herbs

I love the flavor of freshly cooked tomatoes. This simple dish is the perfect light side dish for fish or chicken. It is best when the herbs and tomatoes are picked fresh. What a bright, wonderful taste of summer!

Ingredients:

4 fresh tomatoes (I like smaller round varieties, like Early Girl)
1/2 tsp. salt (approx.)
4 tbs. extra virgin olive oil
2 tbs. fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped
10 leaves sweet basil, chopped
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1 tsp. paprika
pepper to taste
2 tbs. shredded Romano cheese

Wash the tomatoes well. Remove stem and cut in half. Place, cut side up, on a large cookie sheet. Sprinkle a pinch of salt atop each. Drizzle with olive oil. In a small bowl, mix herbs, bread crumbs, spices and cheese. Divide evenly among tomato tops. Drizzle again lightly with olive oil. Broil under high heat, 4-7 minutes, watching carefully to prevent tops from scorching. The tomatoes should still have a firm, not watery, texture.

Enjoy!

Joe and Julia's Homemade Coleslaw

My husband and I developed this recipe the first summer we were married. We were so dissatisfied with store-bought coleslaw and just wanted to make a homemade version. We looked at so many recipes and combined and changed them until we came to this one we really like. It uses a whole head of cabbage, so it makes a nice, big batch. What a great addition to your picnic menu!

Ingredients:

2 big, rounded spoonfuls of horseradish sauce (we use store brand)
2 big, rounded spoonfuls of mayonnaise
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. vinegar
3/4 tsp. salt
1 head of cabbage
1-2 large carrots
2 scallions, finely chopped
2 tbs. fresh parsley, chopped

In a small bowl, whisk together the horseradish sauce (not straight horseradish -- horseradish sauce), mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar, and salt. This will be the dressing for your slaw. Refrigerate. Finely shred the cabbage -- we do this by hand, but you can also use a food processor. Shred the carrots and add them to the cabbage in a large bowl. Toss in scallions and parsley. Pour dressing over all and toss until ingredients are uniformly distributed. Chill until ready to serve.

Hint: The flavor of this slaw improves with time. You might want to make this the night before you plan to serve it or early in the morning for an afternoon barbecue.

Enjoy!

Garden Green Beans with Onion

Fresh green beans from the garden are such a delight. Their flavor is buttery and their texture is perfect. Here's a simple preparation for one of Summer's perfect foods.

Ingredients:

1 lb. fresh green beans
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbs. minced white onion
2 slices bacon, diced
salt and pepper to taste

Wash beans and trim stems. Drain. In small saucepan, saute bacon and onion over medium-low heat until onion is translucent. Add water, beans, and salt. Turn up heat to bring the mixture to a boil. Stir once and cover. Reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes. Taste before serving and season with additional salt and pepper if needed.

Enjoy!

Perfect Corn on the Cob

This is the time of year when the farmer's market is starting to sell corn. And what goes better with any summer meal than fresh corn on the cob? The trick to good corn, though, is not to overcook. Here's a method that works every time.

Ingredients:

4 quarts water (or more, if you need it)
1 tbs. salt
6-8 ears of corn

Fill the largest pot you can find with water (be sure to leave room for the corn) and heat it over high heat on the stove. Shuck corn and remove all floss. When the water is warm, but not boiling, add salt and stir for 1 minute. Gently add corn, being careful not to splash. Bring water to a full boil for 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and cover. Let the corn steep for 10 minutes longer. Serve hot with butter and salt.

Enjoy!

Cucumber Dill Salad

My friend Trish and I made this salad all the time when we lived overseas in Moscow. I used to buy fresh cucumbers, tomatoes, and dill from a wonderful toothless old woman at a kiosk around the corner from my apartment. I make this every summer as the dill is ripening in my herb garden -- it brings back good memories.

Ingredients:

1 large, fresh cucumber
2 roma tomatoes
2 tbs. fresh dill, chopped
3 tbs. white vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup sour cream

Peel the cucumber and slice into 1/4 inch slices. Seed and dice the tomatoes. Toss lightly with chopped dill. In separate bowl, mix together vinegar, salt, and sour cream. Whisk until smooth. Pour over vegetables and dill. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour, to blend the flavors. Serve cold.

Enjoy!

Joe's Black Bean Salad

In the summer, we like to have vegetarian dishes with lots of flavor. This one certainly fits the bill, with a combination of tart and sweet that really works. I like the crunch of the celery, onion, and peppers, too!

Ingredients:

4 cups cooked black beans, rinsed
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/2 cup corn
1 medium vidalia onion, diced
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/2 medium bell pepper, diced

For the Dressing,
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup fresh oregano, chopped
2 tbs. salad oil (I use olive oil or canola)
1 tbs. white wine vinegar
1 tbs. sugar
salt to taste

Place soft, rinsed beans in large mixing bowl. Add chopped vegetable ingredients. Toss. In separate mixing bowl, combine herbs, oil, vinegar, sugar and salt. Mix well until sugar has dissolved completely. Pour over bean/vegetable mixture. Toss again. Store in airtight container in the refrigerator up to 1 week.

Enjoy!

NanaJane's Boursin Cheese Spread

When you are having a party, this recipe makes the most flavorful spread for crackers. I also use it as filling for celery sticks. It's more firm than dip, and stands up to warm temperatures without getting runny. Just be sure to make a large batch. Your guests will gobble it up!

Ingredients:

8 oz. cream cheese, softened (for lower fat, use Neufchatel cheese)
2 tbs. butter or margarine, softened
1 tbs. fresh chives, snipped
1 tbs. fresh parsley, chopped finely
1 tbs. garlic, minced and mashed with a pinch of salt
1 tbs. dill, chopped finely

With mixer or food processor, blend cream cheese and butter until smooth and uniform. Add herbs and garlic. Mix again until uniform throughout. Chill in airtight container until ready to serve.

I find it is best to make this an hour or two ahead of time to give the flavors a chance to blend.

Enjoy!

Summer Squash Salad

In the summer, the best dishes are the fresh ones. This salad is beautiful to look at and even better to taste. It works just as well with a steak from the grill or poached salmon. This salad is also great for outdoor parties, because it can be served at room temperature. In our family, it is a summer favorite!

Ingredients:

2-3 medium yellow summer squash
2 medium zucchini
15 cherry tomatoes, halved
3 tbs. snipped scallions
10-12 fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
2 tbs. olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt
1 clove of garlic, minced
pepper to taste

Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Slice summer squash and zucchini in 1/8 to 1/4 inch slices. In groups of 10-15, drop in water, boil for 45 seconds, remove, and transfer to a bowl of ice water. Once all are blanched and cooled, drain well. (I use a salad spinner.) In a large bowl, combine squash/zucchini slices, tomatoes, scallions, and fresh basil. In separate bowl, prepare dressing by whisking vinegar, oil, salt, garlic, and pepper. Pour dressing over vegetables and toss.

Enjoy!

Perfect Fried Eggplant

When the weather gets hot, I like to use a vegetable as the main course for supper, especially when you can get perfect fresh eggplant. Fried Eggplant is delicious on its own, or it can be used as an ingredient for Eggplant Parmesan or Eggplant Lasagna --just don't skip the pressing step. As an Italian grandmother will tell you, "Eggplant is like a woman -- it has to weep to let go of its bitterness."

Ingredients:

2 cups flour, seasoned with salt & pepper
1 egg, beaten
1 cup water
2 cups Italian seasoned breadcrumbs (I use Progresso)
1 medium eggplant
Canola oil
Lemon slices

At the grocery, choose an eggplant that is medium-sized and firm with a smooth, shiny skin. At home, peel off the skin and slice into 1/4 inch rounds. Keep the slices as uniform as you can.

Place 6-8 slices in a single layer on a dinner plate, salt lightly, and cover with a paper towel. Layer again and repeat until all slices are stacked with paper towel between them. Cover with a dinner plate of the same size and weigh it down (I use a 2-3 cans of vegetables as a weight.) Let the eggplant "weep" for about 1 hour.

After the eggplant has released it's juice, prepare 3 bowls for breading. In the first, place seasoned flour. The second should have the egg and water beaten together. The third should have the breadcrumbs. Heat Canola oil in large frying pan over medium-high heat. Dip each slice of eggplant in flour, egg mixture, and crumbs. Allow to fry 2-3 minutes, turn. When browned on both sides, remove from pan and drain on paper towels.

Serve warm with slices of lemon.

Enjoy!

Minted Cucumber Yogurt

This side has an Indian flavor because of the cumin. If you prefer more of a Greek twist, skip the cumin and add some fresh lemon juice. I like the mint to be fresh from the garden. It cools you down instantly in hot weather.

Ingredients:

2 cups plain yogurt
1 cucumber with skin
6 mint leaves, plus garnish
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
salt and cayenne pepper to taste

Heat small frypan over medium heat. Place cumin seed in dry pan to toast, stirring constantly until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside to cool. In medium mixing bowl, shred cucumber, being sure to catch the juice in the bowl. Roll the mint leaves together and cut into slivers. Place in bowl with cucumbers. Add toasted cumin, yogurt, cayenne and salt (I use about 1/4 tsp - 1/2 tsp each). Mix well and refrigerate. Garnish with fresh mint for serving, if desired.

Enjoy!

Michigan Cherry Pecan Salad

I first had a salad like this at Seva, a vegetarian restaurant in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It is such a simple treat, named after the state that is the largest producer of cherries in the U.S. The Traverse City Cherry Festival every June is fun for the whole family! Whether you get your cherries there or at your local market, be sure to try this tasty salad.

Ingredients:

1 cup Pecan halves
Red leaf lettuce
Spinach
Parsley
One scallion
Two Roma tomatoes
1 cup Dried cherries

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread pecan halves on a cookie sheet and bake 10 minutes, or until fragrant. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Wash and dry the lettuce and spinach. Tear into salad-size pieces. Snip the green portion of one scallion into the lettuce. Toss. Dice the tomatoes and give one handful of parsley a rough chop. Sprinkle tomato and parsley on top of the tossed lettuce. Top with cherries and pecans. Serve with your favorite viniagrette.

Fresh Avocado Guacamole

I've developed this recipe over a period of years. My husband and I love guacamole that lets you really taste that beautiful avocado flavor. This is one of our absolute favorites.

Ingredients:

3 ripe avocados
1/3 small red onion, minced
1 clove of garlic, minced and mashed with a bit of salt
Juice of 1 lime
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded (if desired) and minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Halve and pit avocados. Scoop avocado flesh into a bowl and mash coarsely. Stir in onion, garlic, jalapeno and cilantro. Mix in lime juice and cover with plastic wrap, allowing the wrap to go down into the bowl, in complete contact with the guacamole. Refrigerate for up to 2 hours before serving.

Fresh Tomato-Basil bites

Every time I serve this appetizer at a get-together of family and friends, I get so many compliments. It is simple to prepare and serve. And as always, it is best with fresh ingredients!

Ingredients:

Cherry or Grape Tomatoes
Mozzarella Cheese
Fresh Basil leaves

Thoroughly wash the tomatoes and dry completely. Cut the mozzarella into 1/2 to 1 inch cubes. Wash, dry, and trim basil leaves into squares slightly larger than your cheese cubes. Using toothpicks, skewer ingredients with tomato on top, basil in the middle, and cheese on the bottom. Using the cheese as a base keeps the appetizers from shifting on the platter. Refrigerate until ready to serve.