Chicken Piccata With Gnocchi
Serves 2
Ingredients
2 – 6 to 8 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon Kosher salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ cup white wine, or dry vermouth
2 lemons, each cut in half, 3 halves juiced and 1 half thinly sliced, crosswise
1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and
drained
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
Gnocchi
1 pkg shelf-stable potato gnocchi
Salt
1 tablespoon of butter
½ cup greeted Parmesan cheese.
Directions
Pound chicken breasts between plastic wrap to an even thickness.
Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Lightly coat in flour. Shake off excess.
Cook gnocchi and set aside.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and the chicken. Turn the heat to high and saute the chicken 2 minutes per side. Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside.
Add butter to the pan and heat on medium until the butter melts. Add the shallot, garlic, and lemon slices. Saute until the shallots are tender and the lemon slices begin to brown. Remove the lemon slices and place them with the chicken. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Cook the sauce for 5 minutes at a simmer. Add the capers, chicken, and lemon slices to the pan. Heat and sprinkle with parsley.
Place chicken on serving plates. Top with lemon slices and a few tablespoons of Piccata Sauce.
Add the gnocchi and butter to the skillet and toss the cooked gnocchi in the sauce and add the Parmesan cheese. Serve with the chicken.
Roasted Carrots
Ingredients
8 large carrots, ends removed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into small pieces.
Salt and ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Directions
Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 425 degrees F. Cut carrots on the diagonal into two-inch pieces and place them in a large baking dish.
dot with butter, and sprinkle with thyme, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
Cover the dish tightly with foil and cook for 15 minutes. Remove foil and continue to cook, stirring twice, until carrots are well browned and tender, about 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Meatballs
1 lb lean ground beef {or any ground meat you prefer}
1 cup dried bread crumbs
2 eggs
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1/3 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
4 tablespoons shallots, minced
2 tablespoons dried Italian Seasoning
Soup
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 large garlic cloves, sliced
1 cup yellow onion, minced
1 cup leeks, diced
1 celery stalk with leaves, diced
10 oz fresh spinach leaves chopped
8 cups rich chicken broth
2 carrots, chopped
Half a small red chili pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup orzo
Grated Pecorino Romano cheese, for garnish
Make the Meatballs
Working with your hands, combine all ingredients and let sit in the refrigerator for one hour. Roll into small meatballs, about 1 inch.
For the Soup
In a large heavy pot over low heat add the olive oil, garlic, chili pepper, carrots, onion, and leeks. Gently cook for 10 minutes until tender.
Add the broth. Bring mixture to a boil, add orzo, and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the spinach and cook for 1 minute.
Add the meatballs, and lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for 10 minutes.
Slowly pour in the beaten eggs, mixing gently to form fine threads.
Season with salt and pepper. Serve the soup with grated cheese and crusty Italian bread.
Baltimore Crab Cakes
Prepare early in the day, if you have time.
Crab Cakes
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 2 cups crushed saltine crackers
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon ground dry yellow mustard
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 Ib (approx. 3 cups) jumbo crabmeat, drained well
½ cup creamy crab sauce
Creamy Crab Sauce
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 small shallot, finely diced
• 1teaspoon white wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• ½ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
• 1 tablespoon country Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Directions
For the creamy crab sauce, in a small microwave-safe bowl, combine oil and shallots. Heat on high for 1 minute. Set aside to cool. When cool add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Reserve ½ cup of the sauce for the crab cakes. Refrigerate the remaining sauce until dinner time.
Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or coat it with non-stick cooking spray
For the crab cakes
Check the crab for pieces of the shell without breaking up the large clumps of the crab.
In a mixing bowl, combine egg, mayonnaise, dry mustard, Old Bay, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper; stir to combine ingredients. Add crab meat and crushed saltines. Mix gently. Fold in ½ cup of the creamy crab sauce with a spatula.
Using moistened hands, shape the crab mixture into 8 balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate the baking sheet for several hours.
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Bake the crab cakes in the center of the oven for 15 minutes. Turn the oven broil to high and broil the crab cakes for 5 minutes.
Warm the creamy sauce in the microwave, covered, on high for about 60 seconds. Pour a large scope over the crab cakes when serving.
Braised Kale
Ingredients
12 ounces organic, triple-washed, and chopped kale
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
8 garlic cloves, sliced in half
¾ cup lower-sodium chicken broth
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Directions
Heat the oil in a large skillet over low heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until it’s golden and aromatic (3-4 minutes). Discard the garlic.
Reheat the oil over medium heat, then add the kale and the broth. Cover and simmer until the kale is tender and the liquid is absorbed (30-45 minutes). Season with salt and pepper. Serve with crab cakes.
Braised Carrots
Ingredients
1 bunch of fresh carrots
½ cup chicken broth
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Trim the ends off the carrots and cut them in half. Place in a large skillet in a single layer. Pour the broth over the carrots and sprinkle with thyme. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover the pan and cook the carrots until tender, about 30 minutes. Turn the carrots over halfway through cooking. Add a little more broth if the pan becomes dry.
Remove the cover and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the butter on top of the carrots and let it melt over the carrots.
Ingredients
1 cup of each of the following vegetables cut into small pieces
Onion
Carrots
Celery
Zucchini
Green Beans
Peas
Corn
Potatoes
Soup
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 garlic cloves, grated
1tablespoon of dried Italian seasoning
4 cups tomato purée
2 cups canned chopped Italian tomatoes
½ teaspoon Calabrian chili paste
3 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
2 cups water
Parmesan cheese rind
Salt and pepper to taste.
Grated Parmesan cheese for garnish
Directions
Heat the oil in a soup pot. Add the vegetables that take longer to cook: onion, carrots, celery, green beans, and potatoes. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and remaining vegetables. Cook for 5 more minutes.
Add purée, tomatoes, broth, water, cheese tind, and seasonings. Bring to a low boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook untold the vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes. Serve in soup bowls and garnish with Parmesan cheese.
This sauce has many versions that originated in the Emilia-Romagna province in Italy in the 18 h century. To me, the most authentic recipe comes from Marcella Hazen and that is the version I make.
Classic Bolognese Sauce
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons butter plus 1 tablespoon for tossing with the pasta
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1 pound ground beef chuck, not too lean
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup whole milk
1 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups canned imported Italian plum tomatoes, cut up, with their juice
For serving: cooked pasta and grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Put the oil, 3 tablespoons of butter, and chopped onion in a heavy-bottomed pot and turn the heat to medium. Cook and stir until the onion is translucent. Add the celery and carrot and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring to coat the vegetables with fat.
Add the meat, a large pinch of salt, and some freshly ground pepper. Break the meat up with a fork, stir well, and cook until the meat has lost its raw color.
Add the milk and let it simmer gently, stirring frequently until it bubbles.
Add the wine and let it simmer. When the wine has evaporated, stir in the tomatoes.
(Cooking the meat in milk before adding the wine and tomatoes protects it from the acidic bite of the latter.) When they begin to bubble, turn the heat down so that the sauce cooks at the laziest of simmers, with just an intermittent bubble breaking through to the surface.
Cook, uncovered, for 3 hours (or more—she says more is better), stirring from time to time. If the sauce begins to dry out, add 1/2 cup of water whenever necessary to keep it from sticking. In the end, there should be no water left, and the fat must separate from the sauce. Taste for salt.
Toss with cooked, drained pasta and the remaining tablespoon of butter. Serve freshly grated cheese at the table.
ingredients
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 medium onion diced
2 ribs celery diced
2 medium carrots diced
½ bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
14 ounces canned diced tomatoes
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup brown or green lentils
1 rind Parmigiano Reggiano optional, see notes below
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
Directions
Heat a large saucepan to medium-low and add the olive oil, carrots, celery, bell peppers, and onion. Cook until soft and translucent (about 10 minutes).
Add in the tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently for 5 minutes.
Next, add in the chicken broth and tomatoes, Bring to a boil, then lower the heat. Add the remaining ingredients and stir well. . Cok the pan to a simmer until the lentils are soft (about 60-900 minutes).
Taste test and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Serve in bowls with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and with grated cheese.
Baked Egg Rolls
Ingredients
1 egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon of water
16 egg roll wrappers
Filling
1 lb chicken breast half, cooked and shredded
4 cups loosely packed shredded cabbage and carrot coleslaw mix (not with red cabbage)
4 green onions, sliced
1 celery stalk, sliced thin
½ cup sliced water chestnuts
1 tablespoon peanut oil
Seasoning sauce
2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon honey
1⁄4 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
SPICY SOY DIPPING SAUCE
1/2 cup soy sauce
3 teaspoons chili sauce, more or less depending on how spicy you like it
2 teaspoons honey
Chopped scallion/ spring onion for garnish
Directions
Heat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place parchment on two baking sheets.
Heat the peanut oil in a deep skillet or wok. Add the coleslaw mix, scallions, and remaining vegetables. Stir fry until the cabbage is softened. Add the seasoning sauce and shredded chicken. Stir fry for 2 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Arrange one egg roll wrapper on a clean work surface (keep the remaining egg roll wrappers covered with a damp paper towel) with the corners pointing horizontally and vertically.
Spoon 3 tablespoons of filling in the bottom third of the wrapper. Use a pastry brush to brush water along the edges of the wrapper. Pick up the corner of the wrapper closest to you and wrap it up and over the filling.
Fold the two sides in, similarly to a burrito, then continue rolling from the bottom to create a roll. Place the finished egg roll on the prepared baking sheets. Continue the process with the remaining filling and egg roll wrappers. (You should end up with 16 egg rolls.) Spray the egg rolls with nonstick cooking spray.
Transfer the egg rolls to the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the egg rolls from the oven and flip them. Continue baking until both sides of the egg rolls are golden brown and crisp, an additional 5 minutes.
Allow cooling for 5 minutes before serving.
SPICY SOY DIPPING SAUCE
To a small mixing bowl, add the soy sauce, chili sauce, and honey. Whisk until combined.
Pour into the serving bowl and top with green onions.
Fried Rice
Ingredients
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon sesame oil
4 cups cold cooked white rice
2 teaspoons peanut oil
4 thick bacon slices, diced
2 celery stalks, sliced thin
½ cup sliced water chestnuts
4 green onions, sliced thin
1 tablespoon peanut oil
Seasoning Sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
Directions
Bring the cooked rice to room temperature; set aside.
In a deep skillet, heat the sesame oil. Add the eggs and scramble them. Set aside.
In the same skillet heat the peanut oil over medium-high heat. Add the bacon, and cook for about 4-5 minutes.
Add the scallions, water chestnuts,
Add celery, and sauté together for 3 minutes more, turning down the heat slightly if too much browning occurs.
Add the rice and stir fry until hot and separated. Add the seasonings and scrabbled eggs. Cook on low until warm.
2 servings
Ingredients
2 All Beef Knockwurst links, each about 4 oz
2 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, cut into thick slices
⅓ of a small head of cabbage, about 12 oz, cut into thick slices
1 large carrot, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 medium Yukon gold potato, cut into ½-inch thick slices
1 cup of chicken broth
1 teaspoon whole-grain dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon caraway seeds
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Directions
Combine the chicken broth, mustard, caraway, and black pepper in a small mixing bowl.
In a deep skillet with a cover melt the butter. Brown the knockwurst on all sides over medium heat. Remove the knockwurst to a plate. Add the cabbage and chicken broth mixture. Cover and cook on low for 10 minutes. Stir in the carrots and potatoes. Cover and cook for 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
After 15 minutes, place the knockwurst on top of the vegetable, cover it, and cook for the remainder of the time.
Ingredients
¼ to 1/3 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, diced
1 medium white onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
4 stalks of celery, diced
2 stems fresh rosemary and 2 stems fresh thyme
1 dried bay leaf
2 cans Undrained cannellini beans, or 3 cups cooked dried white beans with cookies liquid
2 tablespoons tomato paste
15 oz can chopped Italian tomatoes
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder
1 lb spicy Italian sausage, cut into ½ inch slices
1/2 lb chicken tenders, each cut in thirds
Directions
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Heat the oil in a medium Dutch Oven. Brown the sausage and remove to a bowl. Add a little more oil if needed and brown the chicken. Remove to the bowl with the sausage.
Add the vegetables to the pot, stirring frequently, and cook until tender. Add remaining ingredients, 1 at a time. Bring to a simmer and transfer to the oven, Bake for 45 to 60 minutes until thickened slightly. Remove the herbs. Serve with crispy Ciabatta bread.
Ingredients
2- 8 oz Angus Beef steakburgers
1 tablespoon butter
Beef and Mushroom Gravy
Beef Broth Gravy Ingredients
2 cups beef broth
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup cold water + 3 tablespoons cornstarch
Salt and pepper to taste
Mushroom Gravy Ingredients
8 oz sliced button mushrooms
¼ cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups Beef broth gravy
Directions
For the Beef Broth Gravy
In a medium saucepan bring beef broth to boil over medium-high heat. Stir in garlic powder, onion powder, and Worcestershire sauce.
In a small bowl whisk together cold water and cornstarch until dissolved. Pour into boiling beef broth and reduce heat to medium-low. Stir until thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Makes 2 cups.
Heat a skillet and melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Add the burgers and brown the meat on both sides. Remove to a plate.
Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the skillet and melt. Add the onion and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until all liquid is absorbed.
Season with salt. Add the beef broth gravy. Bring to a simmer. Add the steakburgers. Cover the pan and simmer the burgers in the gravy for 30 minutes.
Serve with mashed potatoes and cooked carrots.
I had leftover potatoes and kale, so I served that dish with the steakburgers and sauteed two diced carrots in butter until tender for a second side dish.
