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Chicken Stew with Spinach and Mushrooms

Even though it is technically spring- winter refuses to leave. One way to enjoy it while it lasts is to make a delicious stew. The house smells amazing and you have a one pot meal in no time…

  • 1 pound chicken thighs, with or without bones, skinless
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 small bunch of fresh thyme
  • ½ cup pancetta, chopped
  • 1 10 ounces Cremini mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • ½ cup tomato sauce, homemade or store bought
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • Salt
  • 6 ounces baby spinach
  • ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped

Mix the flour, salt and pepper in a bowl. Heat a heavy saucepan with the oil and the butter. Dredge the chicken and brown on both sides in batches if needed. Take the chicken out and add the pancetta and thyme. Saute on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook on medium high heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the onion and garlic. Saute for another 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, chicken broth and the browned chicken pieces. Bring to a boil and lower to a simmer and cover with lid for 20 minutes. Take the lid off and cook for another ten minutes. Add the baby spinach and let it wilt down and check for seasonings. Garnish with parsley. Serve with garlic bread or polenta.

Salmon with Blood Orange Glaze

This is a very simple and flavorful dish. I served it with black rice and roasted butternut squash- absolutely delicious!!

  • 1 large salmon filet, 3 to 4 pounds
  • 1 cup blood orange juice
  • 1 tablespoon tamari
  • Juice of half a lime
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika

Transfer all the ingredients to a saucepan. Bring a boil and simmer and reduce by half. Place the salmon filet on a lined cookie sheet and pour the glaze all over. Broil on high for 5 to 6 minutes or till just cooked through. Serve warm.

Shredded Cabbage with Cilantro Dill Sauce

It is meatless Monday and St. Patrick’s Day is tomorrow.. so I have a cabbage dish for you- with a twist. Make it with your favorite corned beef!!!

  • 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
  • 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 1/2 cup dill, chopped
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 3 cups green cabbage, shredded
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • Salt
  • ½ cup cilantro, chopped

Transfer the cilantro, dill and water to a blender and blend till a smooth sauce is formed. Heat a medium saucepan with the oil. Add the ginger and cumin seeds. Saute for a minute on medium heat. Add the cilantro dill sauce and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes on medium heat. Add the cabbage, ground coriander and salt and sauté on high heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Reduce to a simmer, cover with lid and cook for about 10 minutes. Take the lid off and sauté on medium heat for another 10 minutes or till the extra moisture cooks off. Check for seasonings and garnish with cilantro.

Yaki Udon with Chicken and Tofu

My daughter loves to eat yaki udon whenever we go to a Japanese restaurant, she absolutely loves it! I guess what is there not to love about a yummy, steaming bowl of noodles… especially udon noodles. I love how thick and delicious they are! Now that we have the Asian store nearby, I have been buying fresh noodles from there. I got a pack of fresh udon noodles from there. The key to delicious yaki udon are just a few ingredients- mirin, a sweet cooking wine and dashi granules. They give Japanese dishes that particular flavor we all taste in Japanese cuisine.. the rest of the steps and ingredients are easy…

  • 2 tablespoons peanut oil
  • 1 large shallot, sliced
  • 1 large chicken breast, sliced thin, sprinkled with salt
  • ½ cup shredded carrots
  • ½ cup snow peas, sliced
  • 1 pack firm tofu, cut into cubes
  • 1 16 ounces pack of fresh Udon noodles, cooked according to package directions
  • 2 green onions, sliced

Sauce

  • 1 ½ teaspoons dashi powder
  • 3 tablespoons mirin
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon corn starch

Mix the dashi powder, mirin, soy sauce, chicken broth and corn starch in a small bowl and keep aside.

Heat a wok like pan with the oil and add the shallots. Saute on high heat for a minute. Add the chicken breast and sauté on high heat till golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Take out of the pan leaving the shallots in there. Add the carrots and snow peas and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tofu and the cooked noodles. Saute for a minute and add the chicken back and the sauce. Bring to a boil and stir well and cook till chicken slices are cooked through. Taste for seasonings and garnish with green onions.

Chicken and Bean Pasta Stew- One Pot Meal!

Yummy, hearty stew with chicken thighs and beans… I flavored it with some pancetta and decided to make it a one pot meal by adding the pasta to the mix!

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 to 5 chicken thighs, bone in with skin
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • ½ cup pancetta, chopped
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
  • 3 large carrots, chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 1 can cannellini beans
  • 4 to 6 cups chicken broth
  • ½ pound pasta
  • Salt
  • Grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Sprinkle salt and pepper liberally over the chicken pieces Heat a heavy saucepan with the olive oil. Brown the chicken pieces with skin side down, about 5 minutes on each side. Keep aside. Add the pancetta and cook on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, rosemary, carrots and celery. Saute on medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the flour and sauté for a minute. Add the beans and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and continue to simmer till the pasta is cooked through. In the mean time take the skin off the chicken pieces and shred with fork and keep aside. Add the chicken pieces to the stew. Check for seasonings and garnish with cheese.

Thai Style Cheeseburgers with Lime Cilantro Mayo

My love of Asian cuisine continues with these delicious cheeseburgers.. they are really good. Feel free to marinate the meat overnight for extra yummy flavor and serve them with oven baked fries!

  • 1 pound grass fed ground beef
  • 2 tablespoons red curry paste
  • 1 teaspoon grated galangal or fresh ginger
  • 3 garlic cloves, grated
  • 1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 1/3 cup basil, chopped
  • 1/3 cup mint, chopped
  • Zest of one lime
  • 1 stalk lemongrass, smashed and chopped
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 tablespoons oil

Transfer all the ingredients to a bowl. Mix well and let sit for a couple of hours in the fridge. Take out half an hour before cooking. Form into 4 to 6 patties, depending how big you want the burgers.

Heat a frying pan with the oil and cook the burgers to the desired doneness. Top with cheese and serve on toasted rolls.

  • 4 to 6 ciabatta rolls, sliced and toasted
  • 4 to 6 cheddar slices
  • Baby spinach

Lime Cilantro Mayo

  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup Greek yogurt
  • 1 garlic clove, grated
  • Zest of one lime
  • Juice of one lime
  • ½ cup cilantro, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons salt

Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl and serve with the cheeseburgers.

Potatoes Corn and Carrots with Dill

This is a great side or main dish. I made it as a main dish for meatless Monday. The classic is a combination of potatoes, carrots and peas.. but as I started cooking, I realized I didn’t have frozen peas… what?? I had no idea.. so I used roasted frozen corn instead and the combo was great!!!

  • 2 tablespoons ghee/butter
  • 3 green onions, chopped
  • 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
  • 3 medium yellow skinned potatoes, chopped into 1 inch dice
  • 3 carrots, chopped into 1 inch dice
  • 1 cup roasted corn, frozen
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander powder
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ¼ cup fresh dill, chopped
  • ¼ cup fresh chives, chopped
  • ½ cup cilantro, chopped

Heat a saucepan with ghee/butter on a medium heat. Add the green onions and ginger. Saute on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the potatoes, carrots and corn.  Add salt, ground coriander and cayenne pepper. Saute on medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low and cover with lid and cook for 5 to 6 minutes or till the potatoes and carrots are cooked through. Mix well and taste for seasonings. Turn heat off and add the herbs. Mix well and serve.

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