Chicken & Herb Pot Pie Soup

• 2 small pieces boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 3 small ribs celery from the heart, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 large potato, peeled and diced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 quart chicken stock
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 3 to 4 sprigs fresh tarragon, leaves finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped lemon thyme or thyme leaves
• 1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, a handful
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 rounded tablespoons all-purpose flour

Put the chicken and the bay leaf in a small pan and add water, almost to cover the chicken. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat and poach the chicken until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate. Strain the broth and reserve

Meanwhile, heat the extra-virgin olive oil, a turn of the pan, in a soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, celery, onions, garlic, potatoes, salt and pepper, to taste. Stir, cover, and cook 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally to sweat the veggies. Add the stock and bring to a boil, then simmer to keep the stock at a low boil. Dice the poached chicken then stir it into the stock. Add the peas, tarragon, thyme, and parsley.

In a small pan over medium heat, melt the butter and whisk in the flour. Cook for 1 minute, then stir it into the soup to thicken. Add the reserved strained chicken poaching liquid to loosen up the sauce for a consistency that's thicker than soup and thinner than stew. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.

Recipe from Rachael Ray

Cranberry-Pineapple Jello

A great snack or lunch time desert.

• 1 can (20 oz.) Crushed Pineapple, in juice
• 2 pkg. (3 oz. each) Raspberry Jello
• 1 can (16 oz.) whole berry cranberry sauce

Drain pineapple, reserving juice. Add enough water to juice to measure 2-1/2 cups; pour into saucepan. Bring to boil. Add to gelatin mixes in large bowl; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved.

Stir in pineapple and cranberry sauce. Divide into 9 individual serving container, each holding a 1/2 cup.

Refrigerate 2-1/2 hours or until firm.

Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Waffles

My daughter LOVES these sweet-n-tasty breakfast treats.

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted (or vegetable oil)
• mini chocolate chips
  

Preheat waffle iron. In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and cocoa. Stir in milk, eggs and butter until mixture is smooth. Spray preheated waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray. Pour mix onto hot waffle iron and sprinkle generously with chocolate chips. Cook until golden brown. Serve hot with light corn syrup.

Jersey site up and running

Finally got comfortable enough with the progress of the new website, www.jerseydiscounters.com to release it to the world (or maybe just my small world). I would have to say, that with a limited number of items even listed, that to have 2 sales in the first 24hrs is a great sign. That is a much better debut than I have had with anything else thus far. I'm not getting ahead of myself....I've been down this road before. Given the time of year, I appreciate that any sales I get in the next 30 days are for gifts. I can only hope that with a solid pricing structure, and carrying so many different jerseys from all of pro sports categories, this will be enough to carry me long term. Heck, I'd just be satisfied with having solid sales from www.bellocandle.com and www.jerseydiscounters.com if that's what it took.....and sprinkle in whatever home and car work I can get, and if that website of www.theaudiovideoetc.com ever turned any business....that would just be a bonus.

Over the Top Goulash

• 4 pounds chuck, trimmed of excess fat, cut into 1 1/2 to 2-inch cubes
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 6 cups finely diced onions
• 2 cups peeled and diced carrots
• 1 Anaheim pepper, seeded and finely diced
• 1 serrano pepper, seeded and minced
• 1 cup finely diced shallots
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons whole caraway seeds, toasted and ground
• 1 tablespoon sweet Hungarian paprika
• 2 tablespoons hot paprika (pimenton, a Spanish hot paprika)
• 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 2 tablespoons freshly minced marjoram leaves
• 2 teaspoons freshly minced thyme leaves
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 4 cups chicken stock, low-sodium
• 2 bay leaves
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Season the chuck with the salt and pepper, to taste. In a large oven safe Dutch oven (prefer porcelain coated cast iron) over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and heat until just smoking. Add the beef in batches, being careful not to crowd and be sure to brown the meat on all sides. Remove the meat from the pan to a baking sheet, or something that can catch the juices. Add the onions and carrots to the Dutch oven and pan and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, the moisture from the onions will loosen the fond, so stir often. Add the peppers and the shallots and cook until caramelized and all of the liquid is evaporated. Stir in the tomato paste and allow to cook out
the raw acidic flavor, about 1 minute. Add in the caraway, sweet and hot paprika, the red chili flakes, the marjoram, and thyme. Deglaze with the balsamic and let reduce for 2 minutes. Slowly add the stock, then add the beef and any juices collected from the meat. Add the bay leaves, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and stir gently to combine. Cover and cook in the preheated oven for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, to taste.

Serve with Grilled Polenta.

recipe by Guy Fieri

UGH!

Am I the only person that would just rather every day be a week day? My weekends are such a drag most of the time....seems I work harder in these 2 day than I do all week!

Curried Potatoes & Chickpeas

Lets face it....we all have bought Fried Onions for one reason or another and have wound up with left overs. This recipe is not only a great way to use then up....but the perfect reason to buy MORE!

• 1 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch chunks
• Kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups fried onions
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus leaves for topping
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 jalapeno pepper, minced

Put the potatoes, 2 teaspoons salt and enough cold water to cover in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are almost tender, 3 to 6 minutes. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain the potatoes.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 8 minutes. Stir in the curry powder and cayenne and cook, stirring, 30 seconds.

Add the chickpeas, 1 cup fried onions and 1/2 cup reserved cooking water; cook, mashing the potatoes with a spoon, until heated through, about 3 minutes. Add more cooking water, if needed. Season with salt.

Mix the yogurt, chopped cilantro, lime juice and 2 tablespoons water in a bowl. Divide the potato-chickpea mixture among bowls. Top with the yogurt sauce, the remaining 1 cup fried onions, and jalapeno.

Roasted Cauliflower & Tomatoes

• 1 - Small head of cauliflower florets
• 2 - Plum tomatoes, chopped
• 1 1/2c - Olive oil
• 2 cloves - Garlic
• 1 1/2 tsp - Cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp - Ground tumeric
• pinch - Ground cayenne
• 1/2 tsp - Salt
• 1/2 tsp - Pepper

Toss all ingredients in large bowl until coated. Arrange evenly on a prepared baking sheet. Roast in a 450 degree oven for about 25 minutes. Sprinkle with lemon juice and serve with Indian Rice Noodles.

Indian Rice Noodles

• 2 portions - thin rice noodles
• 2 tbsp - sunflower oil
• 1 tsp - cumin seeds
• 1 tsp - mustard seeds
• pinch - turmeric powder
• pinch - coriander powder
• 1 - jalepeno pepper, minced
• Juice of 1/2 a lemon
• salt to season

Boil water in a pan and add the rice noodles. Cook uncovered for 5-10 minutes until done but firm. Drain in a colander and run it through cold water to arrest further cooking.

Heat oil in a wok/pan and add the cumin seeds, mustard seeds, coriander powder and turmeric powder. Just when they begin to splutter, add the slit pepper and cover for a minute, reducing the heat.

Add the cooked noodles, and salt then stir-fry all these together until piping hot. Remove from heat and mix in the lemon juice.

Serve immediately with Roasted Cauliflower & Tomatoes.

Frugal Man's Vanilla Yogurt

Having gotten tired of paying to much for flavored yogurt....and never knowing what exactly they used to flavor it with, I created this simple variation of plain yogurt that is very tasty and takes just a few minutes to make.

• 32oz - Plain non-fat yogurt
• 1tsp - Vanilla extract
• 3tsp - Splenda
• pinch - Ground nutmeg (preferably fresh)

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl until incorporated. Return yogurt mixture back to the original yogurt container until ready to eat.

Kicked Up Applesause

Why pay extra for cinnamon applesauce? This simple recipe takes plain applesauce and makes it a tasty fruit compliment to any lunch box.

• 640z -Applesauce, plain
• 2 tsp - Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp - Nutmeg (preferably freshly grated)
  

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Divide mixture into 10 individual storage containers and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Cheesy Tuna Wraps

A quick, easy, inexpensive....and yummy lunch box favorite.

• 10 cans - Tuna, drained and flaked
• 1 stalk - Celery, diced
• 2 cup - Colby Cheese, shredded
• 1 can - Black Olives, chopped
• 1 cup - Mayonnaise
• 1 small - Onion, shredded
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 10 - Whole wheat tortillas
  

Mix all ingredients well in a large bowl. Place an equal portion of mixture into 10 individual storage containers and top with shredded cheese. Refrigerate until ready to serve. To serve, place contents of container on tortillas and wrap. Wrap can then be warmed in a microwave to melt cheese if desired. Chicken can also be used instead of tuna for variation.

Next stop....

Shelbyville for my day tomorrow....hopefully a quick trip.