Quick, No Fuss Chicken Noodle Soup

 

6-8 servings

Ingredients

3- 32 oz cartons of low-sodium  chicken broth 

1 lb chicken tenders, cut into small pieces 

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 of an onion, diced

2 carrots, diced 

2 stalks celery, diced 

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

8 oz broad egg noodles

2 tablespoons finely chopped dill

Directions

Poheat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat and add in the onion, carrots, celery, and chicken.

Season generously with salt and pepper and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 5 -8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook for 30 seconds before pouring in the chicken broth. Turn the heat up to high, bring to a boil. Add in the egg noodles. Reduce the heat to medium-low and 

Onion, Bacon, and Spinach Tart

 Makes: 6 servings

 Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Fit piecrust into 9-inch tart pan. Trim excess crust from the top edge of the tart pan; refrigerate while preparing filling.

Ingredients

1  refrigerated rolled piecrust (from a 15-ounce package)

4  slices of bacon, cooked

6  cups baby spinach, cooked and squeezed dry

1/2  cup onions, diced 

3/4  teaspoon salt

1/4  teaspoon dried thyme

3  eggs

3/4  cup half-and-half

1/4  teaspoon black pepper

1 cup shredded cheese

Directions

 Combine the spinach and onion in a mixing bowl and add salt and pepper to taste.

In another bowl, combine eggs and half and half.

Sprinkle ½ cup of shredded cheese over the bottom of the pie crust. Spread the spinach mixture over the cheese. Pour in the egg mixture. Sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese and the bacon.

Place the pie on a baking sheet and cook for 50 to 60 minutes until the top is set and the filling is golden. Let it rest 10 minutes before cutting 

Serve with a hearty salad and biscuits.

Creamy Pasta And Shrimp

 2-3 servings

Ingredients

▢8 oz. cavatelli pqw6a

▢lemon wedges

▢1 tablespoon parsley leaves, chopped

Sauce:

▢2 tablespoons olive oil

▢2 cloves garlic, minced

▢6 oz. (170g) shrimp, peeled and deveined, seasoned with a pinch of salt and black pepper

▢3 oz. (80g) sun-dried tomatoes in oil, plus 1 tablespoon of sun-dried tomato oil

▢1/3 cup white wine

▢1/2 cup heavy cream

▢1/2 teaspoon salt, or more to taste

Directions

Cook the pasta according to the package instructions, then drain and set aside.

Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once hot, add the garlic and sauté for about 10 seconds, then add the shrimp. Cook the shrimp until the surface turns opaque, then add the sun-dried tomatoes with oil, white wine, cooking cream, and salt. Stir well to combine, then add the pasta.

Add the parsley and stir well to combine. Dish out and serve immediately with lemon wedges.

Sicilian Style Swordfish

 

Sicilian Style Swordfish

ingredients

For 2 servings

2 swordfish steaks, 1 1/4 inch thick, about 4-5 oz each

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 lemon, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons small capers, drained

2 plump garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ tablespoon dried oregano

Panko crumbs 

2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped

Directions

Heat the oven to 425 degrees. 

Pour the olive oil into the baking dish, and scatter in the lemon slices, capers, and garlic. Turn the lemon slices over to coat them with oil. Season the swordfish pieces on both sides with salt, lay them in the dish in one layer, and turn each one over several times to coat it with oil on all the surfaces. place them on top of the lemon slices.

Sprinkle with Panko crumbs 

Cover dish with aluminum foil. 

Carefully set the covered pan in the oven, and bake for 8 minutes. 

Remove the foil and cook another 8 minutes.

Place the fish on a dinner plate. Remove the lemon slices and pour the sauce over the fish.

Sprinkle with parsley.

Serve with spinach and sautéed potatoes

Summer Cookimg

 

For a refreshing dinner on a hot day, I like to make a plate with chicken salad, melon, and cheese on top

Chicken Salad

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place bone-in chicken breasts in a baking dish and rub the skin with olive oil. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Roast for 40-45 minutes, until the chicken an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove the meat from the bones, discard the skin, and dice the chicken into large bite-sized pieces.

For every 1 1/2 pounds of bone-in chicken breasts

Good olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup good mayonnaise

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 cup grapes, cut in half

1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix the mayonnaise and Dijon mustard in a mixing bowl. Add the celery and onion; stir. Add the chicken and mix carefully to keep the chicken from breaking up. Fold in the pecans and grapes. Adjust salt and pepper, if needed. Cover and chill. 

Cut the cantaloupe into one-inch rings. Remove the rind and the seeds. Place the rings on dinner plates and fill the rings with chicken salad.

 Serve with dinner rolls.

Microwave Corn On The Cob

Waxed paper

Paper towel

Remove the husks from fresh ears of corn; scrub with a stiff brush to remove silks. Rinse. Wrap each ear in waxed paper; place on paper towels in the microwave. Cook on high power 3-5 minutes for 1 ear, 5-7 minutes for 2 ears, or 9-12 minutes for 4 ears.

Easy One-Pot Summer Pasta

Ingredients 

¼ cup olive oil 

3 large garlic cloves, grated

1lb short pasta

1 teaspoon salt

4 cups chicken broth

1small zucchini, diced

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes 

1 pint of cherry tomatoes on the vine

1/2cup heavy cream 

1cup grated Parmesan cheese 

A few basil leaves

1 container of mini mozzarella balls

Ground black pepper 

Directions

Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet with a cover, add the garlic, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the pasta and salt: cook and stir until the pasta is toasted, about 3-4 minutes. Add the broth, cover the pan, and simmer the pasta until al dente, about 10 minutes, depending on the pasta you use. Most of the broth will be absorbed.

Add the zucchini, red pepper flakes, and tomatoes, and cook for about 3 minutes. Add the cream, Parmesan, and basil, cook until the cream is absorbed.

Add the mini mozzarella balls, stir, and heat for a minute. Top with freshly ground black pepper.

Serve on pasta bowls with Italian bread.

Air Fryer Tuna Kabobs For Dinner

 Marinade

¼ cup olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 minced garlic cloves

1 tablespoon Greek seasoning

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Kabobs

2 fresh tuna fillets, snout 6 oz, cut into 1-inch cubes

¼ cup red onion, cut into 1-inch cubes

Bamboo sticks soaked in hot water or metal skewers, about 4-6 in. Long enough so that the skewers fit in the fryer.

Directions

Combine the marinade ingredients in a ziplock plastic bag and set aside.

Thread the tuna and onion on 4 skewers. Place the skewers in the plastic bag and refrigerate for several hours.

Preheat your air fryer to 350 degrees F and heat for 5 minutes.

Place the prepared skewers into the air fryer basket for 4 minutes and turn the kabobs over. Cook for 4-5 minutes more, depending on how well-cooked you like your fish.

Serve with Greek Salad and pita bread.

Greek Salad

Ingredients

1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and sliced 1/4-inch thick

1 red bell pepper, large-diced

1 yellow bell pepper, large-diced

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

1/2 red onion, sliced into half-rounds

1/2 pound feta cheese, 1/2-inch diced (not crumbled)

1/2 cup calamata olives, pitted

For the vinaigrette:

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/4 cup good red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup good olive oil

Directions

Place the cucumber, peppers, tomatoes, and red onion in a large bowl.

For the vinaigrette, whisk together the garlic, oregano, mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Still whisking, slowly add the olive oil to make an emulsion. Pour the vinaigrette over the vegetables. Add the feta and olives and toss lightly. Set aside for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Serve at room temperature.