turkey and rice soup

Stock:

turkey carcass
2 stalks celery w/leaves, coarsely chopped
2 carrots, coarsely chopped
1 onion, peeled and quartered
1 bay leaf
8 cups water

In large pot, combine carcass, celery, carrots, onion, bay leaf and water and bring to simmer for 2 to 3 hours. Strain and discard vegetables and bones. Reserve turkey stock.

Soup:

3 T butter
1 c chopped onion
1 c chopped celery
2 tsp dried thyme (I use 1 and 1 half tsp)
2 c chopped carrots
1 c rice
2 c chopped leftover turkey
1 c frozen or leftover corn- if frozen, add with rice
3 T fresh parsley
salt and pepper

In large pot, melt butter and cook onions until tender. Stir in carrots and rice and toss to coat. Stir in turkey stock and bring to simmer. Cook until vegetables and rice are tender. Stir in turkey, corn, and parsley.

chicken enchiladas

3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 Tbsp flour
1 29 oz can tomato sauce
1 Tbsp chili powder
2 1/2 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tsp salt
Shredded chicken from a 2 lb bird
1 lb muenster cheese, grated
3 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, seeded and finely chopped
12 tortillas

In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add 2/3 of the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Whisk in 1 1/2 cups of water and the tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin and salt, bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes, set aside. Preheat the broiler. In a large bowl, mix the chicken, 2/3 of the cheese and the chiles. Spread 1 cup of the enchilada sauce in a large casserole dish. Dip 1 tortilla in the remaining sauce to coat both sides and transfer to a plate. Fill with chicken mixture, roll up and transfer to the casserole dish, seam side down. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling. Top with the remaining onion, sauce and cheese, broil until golden-5-7 minutes. Turn off the broiler and leave the enchiladas in the oven until heated through, about 5 minutes.

easy rice

1 tsp garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp onion, minced

Saute in 1/2 stick of butter. Add 1 cup of rice, then add 2 1/2 cups of hot water, 1 Tbsp instant minced chicken bouillon. Cook for 20 minutes. Grate 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese and season with black pepper.

aunt reba's chicken

Bread chicken as if to make chicken cutlets. Roll up. Melt 1/2 stick of butter in a baking pan. Pour over 1/2 cup of water and 2 chicken bouillon cubes. Bake for 30 minutes at 375 F or 45 minutes at 350 F.

roasted pork loin with fig sauce

fig sauce:
2 1/2 cups port
1 1/4 cups chicken broth
8 dried black Mission figs, coarsely chopped
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 cinnamon sticks
1 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

pork:
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 Tbsp salt
1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 4-4 1/2 lb boneless pork loin
1 cup chicken broth

For the sauce: in a medium size, heavy saucepan, combine the port, chicken broth, figs, rosemary, cinnamon, and honey. Boil over medium high heat until reduced by half, about 30 minutes. Discard the rosemary sprigs and cinnamon sticks. Transfer the port mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Blend in the butter, salt, and pepper.

For the pork: preheat the oven to 425 F. Stir the oil, rosemary, 1 Tbsp of salt, and 1 1/2 tsp of pepper in a small bowl to blend. Place the pork loin in a heavy, flame proof roasting pan. Spread the oil mixture over the pork to coat completely. Roast, turning the pork every 15 minutes to ensure even browning, until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145 F, about 45 minutes total. Transfer the pork to a cutting board and tent with foil to keep warm. Let the pork rest for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, place the roasting pan over medium heat and stir in the chicken broth, scraping the bottom of the pan to remove any browned bits. Bring the pan juices to a simmer. Season with more salt and pepper to taste. Using a large, sharp knife, cut the pork crosswise into 1/4 inch thick slices. Arrange the pork slices on plates. Spoon the jus over. Drizzle the warm fig sauce around and serve.

From Giada de Laurentiis' Everyday Italian

omelet for two

1/4 lb thick-cut bacon
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup medium-diced Yukon Gold potato
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
5 extra large eggs
2 Tbsp milk
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped scallions
4 oz extra sharp Cheddar, diced, plus grated cheese for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Cut the bacon crosswise in 1 inch pieces. Cook the bacon in an 8 inch ovenproof saute pan over medium-low heat for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned. Drain the bacon on paper towels and discard the fat from the pan. Add the butter to the pan, then add the potato and yellow onion. Cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the onion starts to brown and the potato is tender but firm. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl beat the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper together with a fork. Stir in the scallions and diced Cheddar. When the potato is cooked, add the bacon to the pan and pour over the egg mixture. Place the pan in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until the omelet puffs and the eggs are almost cooked in the center. Sprinkle with a handful of grated Cheddar and bake for another minute. Serve hot.

From Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa at Home

manicotti

Tomato Sauce
2 28 oz cans diced tomatoes in juice
2 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 tbsp)
½ tsp red pepper flakes
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil

Cheese filling
3 cups ricotta
4 oz grated parmesan (2 cups)
8 oz shredded mozzarella (2 cups)
2 lg eggs, lightly beaten
¾ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil

16 no boil lasagna noodles

1-For the Sauce: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Pulse 1 can tomatoes with their juice in food processor until coarsely chopped, 3 or 4 pulses. Transfer to bowl. Repeat with remaining can tomatoes.

2-Heat oil, garlic, and pepper flakes (if using) in large saucepan over medium heat until fragrant but not brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes. Stir in basil; adjust seasoning with salt.

3-For the cheese filling: Combine ricotta, 1 cup Parmesan, mozzarella, eggs, salt, pepper, and herbs in medium bowl; set aside.

4-To assemble: Pour 1 inch boiling water into 13 by 9-inch broilersafe baking dish, then add noodles one at a time. Let noodles soak until pliable, about 5 minutes, separating noodles with tip of sharp knife to prevent sticking. Remove noodles from water and place in single layer on clean kitchen towels; discard water in baking dish and dry baking dish.

5-Spread bottom of baking dish evenly with 1 1/2 cups sauce. Using soupspoon, spread 1/4 cup cheese mixture evenly onto bottom three-quarters of each noodle (with short side facing you), leaving top quarter of noodle exposed. Roll into tube shape and arrange in baking dish seam side down. Top evenly with remaining sauce, making certain that pasta is completely covered.

6-Cover manicotti with aluminum foil. Bake until bubbling, about 40 minutes, then remove foil. Remove baking dish, adjust oven rack to uppermost position (about 6 inches from heating element), and heat broiler. Sprinkle manicotti evenly with remaining 1 cup Parmesan. Broil until cheese is spotty brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Cool 15 minutes, then serve.

beef and butternut squash chili

6 large ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded and coarsely torn
6 slices bacon
1 ¼ lbs. onions, chopped (about 4 c.)
3 lb. chuck roast, cubed (can substitute brisket)
Salt
6 cloves garlic, peeled
2 Tbs. chili powder
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. ground coriander
14.5 oz. can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
12 oz. bottle of beer (preferably Mexican)
7 oz. can diced roasted green chiles
½ c. finely chopped fresh cilantro stems
Half oz. bittersweet chocolate
3 ½ lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
Half a lime

Garnishes
Fresh cilantro leaves
Chopped red onion
Chopped scallions
Diced avocado lightly dressed with lime juice and salt.
Shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Tortilla strips deep fried in canola oil and heavily seasoned with sea salt

Place chiles in medium bowl. Pour 1-2 cups of boiling water over to cover. Soak until chiles soften, at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Saute bacon in heavy large ovenproof pot to render fat. Remove bacon from pot and reserve for another use. Add onions to bacon fat and reduce heat to medium; cover and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove onions from pot and reserve. Add a tablespoon or two of canola oil to pot and brown beef over high heat in batches so as not to overcrowd the pan. Season each batch of beef as it browns. Add beef and onions back into pot.

Meanwhile as beef browns, drain chiles, reserving soaking liquid. Place chiles in blender. Add 1 cup soaking liquid, garlic, chili powder, cumin seeds, oregano, coriander and 1½ teaspoons of salt. Blend to puree, adding more soaking liquid if too thick. Pour puree over beef and onions in pot. Add tomatoes with juices, 1 cup water, beer, green chiles, cilantro stems and chocolate. Stir to coat evenly.

Bring chili to a boil then cover and place in oven. Cook for 2 hours then remove from pot from oven and stir. Place lid back on pot so that it is half on and half off so as to allow for a slow evaporation of the liquid. Continue to cook for another hour. Once again, remove pot from the oven and stir. Add squash and continue to cook with pot half covered until beef and squash are tender, adding more soaking liquid if needed to keep meat covered – about 45 more minutes. Juice half a lime into chili and stir. Season chili to taste with additional salt, pepper and lime juice if needed. Serve in bowls with garnishes.

fried rice

Ingredients:

2 large eggs
2 tsp plus 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
Chinese Barbecued Pork
3 cups cooked brown rice, cooled
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/3 cup minced scallions
1/2 a white onion, thinly sliced into half moons
1 Tbsp soy sauce
freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

Lightly beat the eggs. Heat a wok over medium high heat until hot but not smoking. Add 2 tsp of oil and beaten eggs, and cook 1-2 minutes, tilting the pan so that the egg covers the surface as thinly as possible to make a pancake. When the bottom is just beginning to brown and the pancake is just set, transfer to a cutting board. Allow the pancake to cool slightly, then cut into 1/4 inch wide, 2 inch long strips. Cut barbecued pork into 1/4 inch dice to make about 1 1/4 cups.

Add the remaining 1 Tbsp of oil and rice to wok, and stir fry for 2-3 minutes, breaking up the rice to separate the grains, until it is lightly coated with oil. Add the diced pork, peas, scallions, and egg strips, and continue stir frying 34 minutes, or until the rice is beginning to brown slightly. Add the soy sauce and pepper, stir fry 1 more minute or until well combined.

chinese barbecued pork

Ingredients

4 pound boneless pork butt, cut into 8 strips and excess fat removed
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce
6 Tbsp hoisin sauce
1/4 cup dry sherry
1/4 tsp ground white pepper
1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
2 Tbsp grated fresh ginger (from 4- to 6-inch piece)
2 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 tsp)
1/4 cup ketchup
1/3 cup honey

Instructions

1-Using fork, prick pork 10 to 12 times on each side. Place pork in large plastic zipper-lock bag. Combine sugar, soy, hoisin, sherry, pepper, five-spice powder, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic in medium bowl. Measure out 1/2 cup marinade and set aside. Pour remaining marinade into bag with pork. Press out as much air as possible; seal bag. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.

2-While meat marinates, combine ketchup and honey with reserved marinade in small saucepan. Cook glaze over medium heat until syrupy and reduced to 1 cup, 4 to 6 minutes.

3-Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and set wire rack on sheet.

4-Remove pork from marinade, letting any excess drip off, and place on wire rack. Pour 1/4 cup water into bottom of pan. Cover pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil, crimping edges tightly to seal. Cook pork for 20 minutes. Remove foil and continue to cook until edges of pork begin to brown, 40 to 45 minutes.

5-Turn on broiler. Broil pork until evenly caramelized, 7 to 9 minutes. Remove pan from oven and brush pork with half of glaze; broil until deep mahogany color, 3 to 5 minutes. Using tongs, flip meat and broil until other side caramelizes, 7 to 9 minutes. Brush meat with remaining glaze and continue to broil until second side is deep mahogany, 3 to 5 minutes. Cool for at least 10 minutes, then cut into thin strips and serve.

cheese danish

I believe this is an Ina Garten recipe

Ingredients:

8 oz cream cheese at room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
2 egg yolks, at room temperature
2 Tbsp ricotta cheese
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
The zest of 2 lemons
1 box frozen puff pastry, defrosted
Egg wash

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 F.
Blend the cream cheese and sugar together on low speed until smooth. With the mixer still on low, add the egg yolks, ricotta, vanilla, salt, and lemon zest and mix until just combined. Don't whip!
Unfold one sheet of pastry onto a lightly floured board and roll it slightly with a floured rolling pin until it's a 10 X 10 inch square. Cut the sheet into quarters. Place a heaping Tbsp of cheese filling into the middle of each of the 4 squares. Brush the border of each pastry with egg wash and fold 2 opposite corners to the center, brushing and overlapping the corners of each pastry so they firmly stick together. Brush the top of the pastries with egg wash. Place the pastries onto a baking sheet. Repeat with the 2nd sheet of puff pastry and refrigerate the filled danish for 15 minutes.
Bake for 20 minutes, rotating the pan once during baking, until puffed and brown. Serve warm.

chicken pot pie

Ingredients:

1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 + 3/4 cup chicken broth
2/3 cup milk
2 cups cooked and cut-up chicken
1 (10 oz) package of frozen peas & carrots
Thin Butter Crust

Directions:
Heat the butter over low heat until melted. Blend in the flour, onion, s & p. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat. Stir in the broth and milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir for 1 minute. Stir in the chicken and frozen vegetables, remove from heat and reserve.
Roll out 2/3 of the pastry dough to fit the bottom of whatever shape pan you are using (I like to use a pie plate). Pour the chicken filling into a pastry lined pan and roll out the remainder of the pastry dough and place over the filling. Roll the edges under. Cut slits in the center to allow the steam to escape. Bake, uncovered, at 425 F for 30-35 minutes.

beef stew

2 lb beef chuck, cut into 1 inch cubes
salt & pepper
3 Tbsp butter
4 carrots, peeled, halved and cut into 1 inch cubes
3 small onions, diced
2 Tbsp flour
2 14.5 oz cans of beef or chicken broth (or do homemade)
2 cups red wine
1 cup crushed tomatoes
3 sprigs rosemary
2 medium russet or yukon potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
2 handfuls frozen peas

Season the beef cubes with salt and pepper. Heat 2 Tbsp butter in a large pot over medium heat. As soon as the butter starts to brown, add 1/2 the beef and raise the heat to high. Cook, turning the beef on all sides to brown evenly, about 5-6 minutes. Scoop the beef into a bowl and brown the rest of the beef using the rest of the butter. Scoop out the rest of the beef, then add the carrots and onions and raise the heat to medium high. Cook for 5 minutes, then stir in the flour. Pour in the broth, wine, tomatoes, and rosemary. Slide the beef back in and bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer. Partially cover and cook for 50 minutes. Stir in the potatoes, cover completely and cook for 45 minutes. Add the peas and cook for 5 minutes.

caramelized onion quiche

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil
2.5 cups thinly sliced yellow onions
3/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup milk
3 large eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 1/4 cup provolone cheese, divided
1 9 inch pie crust (I make the whole recipe and freeze half)

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions, and saute until golden and very soft, about 15 minutes. Remove the onions from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside. Whisk the heavy cream, milk, eggs, salt and pepper. Stir the onions and 1 cup of the cheese into the egg mixture. Pour the egg mixture into the pie crust. Sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly over the top of the quiche. Set the quiche pan on a baking sheet and bake until a knife blade inserted into the middle of the quiche comes out clean (about 40-45 minutes). Cover the edges of the crust with foil if it gets too brown. Remove the quiche from the oven and cool on a wire rack. Let cool for 20 minutes before slicing.

apple pie

Recipe taken from here.

The recipe for the thin butter crust is linked within the apple pie recipe and is awesome. It's surprisingly simple to make (I usually use a box mix recipe for pie crusts because I assume pastry crust is too difficult and that I need a working food processor, which we don't have), and super flaky & tasty.

pasta al forno con pomodori e mozzarella

From Jamie Oliver Jamie's Italy

Serves 4

salt and freshly ground black pepper
olive oil
1 white onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely sliced
3 14-oz cans plum tomatoes
large handful of basil leaves
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar (optional)
14 oz dried orecchiette
4 big handfuls of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
3 5-oz balls of mozzarella

Preheat oven to 400 F. Put a large pot of salted water on to boil. Heat a couple of glugs of olive oil in an appropriately sized pan. Add the onion and garlic and slowly fry for about 10 minutes on a medium to low heat until softened but without any color. Add the tomatoes to the onion and garlic with a small glass of water. Bring to a boil and simmer for around 20 minutes. Blend to make a loose sauce. Tear the basil leaves into the sauce and season with salt, pepper, and the red wine vinegar.

Add the orecchiette to the boiling water and cook according to the package instructions, then drain and toss with half of the tomato sauce and a handful of the Parmigiano. Layer a little pasta into a baking pan, followed by some tomato sauce, a handful of Parmigiano, and a sliced up mozzarella ball, then repeat these layers until all of the ingredients are used up, ending with a good layer of cheese on the top. Pop the dish into the oven for 15 minutes, or until golden, crisp, and bubbling.

vanilla ice cream

From The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz

Makes 1 quart

1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream
pinch of salt
1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
6 large egg yolks
3/4 tsp vanilla extract

Warm the milk, sugar, 1 cup of the cream, and salt in a medium saucepan. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the warm milk and add the bean as well. Cover, remove from the heat, and let steep at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Pour the remaining 1 cup of cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Put the vanilla bean into the custard, add the vanilla extract, and stir until cool over an ice bath.

Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator. When ready to churn, remove the vanilla bean, and then freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

mexican chicken soup

From the cookbook Barefoot Contessa at Home by Ina Garten

4 split chicken breasts, bone in, skin on
olive oil, salt & freshly ground black pepper
2 chopped yellow onions
2 stalks celery, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2.5 quarts chicken stock
1 28-oz can whole tomatoes in puree, crushed
2-4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground coriander seed
1/4-1/2 cup chopped cilantro
6 tortillas

Place the chicken breasts skin side up on a sheet pan. Rub with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast for 35-40 minutes, until done. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred the meat. Cover and set aside.

Meanwhile heat 3 Tbsp of olive oil in a large pot. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and cook over medium low heat for 10 minutes, or until the onions start to brown. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes with their puree, jalapenos, cumin, coriander, 1 tbsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, and the cilantro. Cut the tortillas in half, then cut them crosswise into 1/2 inch strips and add to the soup. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes. Add the shredded chicken and season to taste. Serve the soup hot topped with sliced avocado, a dollop of sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese, and broken tortilla chips.

stewed lentils + tomatoes

From the cookbook Barefoot Contessa at Home by Ina Garten

2 tsp olive oil
2 yellow onions, large diced
3-4 carrots, large diced
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 28-oz can whole tomatoes
1 cup French green lentils (7 oz)
2 cups chicken stock
2 tsp mild curry powder
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onions and carrots and cook over medium low heat for 8-10 minutes, until the onion starts to brown. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.

Meanwhile, place the canned plum tomatoes, including the juice, in the bowl of a food processor and pulse several times until the tomatoes are coarsely chopped. Rinse and pick over the lentils to make sure there are no stones in the package.

Add the tomatoes, lentils, chicken broth, curry powder, thyme, salt and pepper to the pan. Raise the heat to bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer covered for about 40 minutes until the lentils are tender. Check occasionally to be sure the liquid is still simmering. Remove from the heat and allow the lentils to sit covered for another 10 minutes. Add the vinegar, season to taste, and serve hot.

macaroni + cheese

1 lb campanelle pasta
1 lb cheddar cheese, grated
4 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper
4 cups milk
breadcrumbs + a hunk of butter + desired seasonings

Warm the milk in a medium saucepan. Cook the pasta for a minute less than the package indicates. Meanwhile, melt the 4 Tbsp of butter in a large saucepan over medium to medium-high heat. Add the flour, and cook for a minute or so. Add mustard, salt & pepper. Slowly whisk in the milk, and cook, stirring frequently, until close to a boil. Lower the heat, and keep stirring until thickened. Turn off the heat and add 3/4 of the cheese. Turn the pasta into a buttered casserole dish. Pour the sauce over the pasta. Top with the remaining cheese. Melt the remaining butter and mix with the breadcrumbs and desired seasonings (I use salt & pepper and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano). Spread the breadcrumbs over the top and bake at 400 F for 20 minutes.