Cornish Hen and Vegetable Soup

2017-02-25_14-01-42_816 With cold weather still lingering and my family moving to a gluten-free (in addition to dairy-free) diet, soup has been a staple meal for us lately. This is my mother’s recipe, made with cornish hens rather than chicken and healthy vegetables. We don’t add noodles or rice, but can serve over rice if desired.

Ingredients:
2 cornish hens
2 carrots
1 potato
2 zucchinis
1 stalk of celery
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh lemon

Directions:
1. Boil water in a large pot with all the seasonings.
2. Once boiled, turn the heat down to medium and add the 2 cornish hens to the water. Note: water level should be about an inch above the cornish hens.
3. In the meantime, dice the carrots, potato, zucchinis and celery.
4. Once the hens are cooked (about 45 minutes), remove from the water and set aside.
5. Add the diced carrots, potato, celery and zucchini to the pot of soup and cook over medium heat for about 30 minutes.
6. While the vegetables are cooking, start shredding the meat on one of the cornish hens.
7. Once the vegetables are cooked to your liking, add the shredded cornish hen meat to the pot.

I typically cut the other cornish hen into quarters and fry lightly in olive oil to serve with the soup.

Chicken Liver with Garlic

Chicken Liver 2 Sautéed chicken livers are flavorful, healthy, and make a delicious side dish or appetizer. They are high in iron, protein, vitamin B12, and vitamin A. This dish is so easy to make and my kids love it!

Ingredients:
2 pounds organic chicken liver
4 tbsp. olive oil
10 cloves of fresh garlic, chopped
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp cumin
1 bay leaf
4 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Directions:
1. Wash chicken livers and cut into small pieces, then pat dry
2. Season livers with salt, pepper, and cumin
3. Heat oil in a large skillet on medium heat, add garlic, and saute for about 2 minutes until lightly browned
4. Add livers and brown on both sides (about 5 minutes)
5. Add the bayleaf and reduce heat to a simmer and cook for another 5-7 minutes (until cooked through), stirring often. Note: add a little water if needed.
6. Once the livers are cooked (will still be slightly pink on the inside), turn off the heat, add the lemon juice and stir.

Serve with some crackers or on some greens for a delicious salad.

Pesto Sauce

2016-02-20 06.04.48 Serve it with Linguine or Bowtie pasta, topped with chicken or Portobello mushrooms or just on its own.

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1/3 cup Pine Nuts
3 medium garlic cloves, sliced or minced
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tbsp lemon juice (or more to taste)
Salt (to taste)

Directions:
Combine the basil, pine nuts, garlic, lemon juice, and salt in a food processer and pulse a few times. Add the olive oil slowly to the mixture and continue pulsing (make sure to scrape the sides!). Taste, and add more lemon or salt as needed.

Tip:
Drain the pasta after boiling (do not rinse), then mix with the pesto sauce. Add the sauce one tablespoon at a time until desired “sauciness.” Serve immediately.

Spanish Chicken

2016-02-01 06.35.51 This is such a delicious dish and so easy to make. Works great for everyday cooking and for dinner parties as well.

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp smoked paprika
1 Tbsp flour
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
3 pounds of chicken pieces with skin and bones (thighs or breasts)
1/4 cup olive oil
15 garlic cloves, peeled
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup sherry vinegar
Chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley to sprinkle on top (optional)

Directions:
1. Put paprika, flour, salt, pepper, in large plastic (zip-lock) bag and shake to mix.
2. Add chicken pieces to bag, toss so that chicken is evenly coated, and leave in bag for at least 30 minutes (in refrigerator).
3. Heat the oil in the skillet, add garlic, and saute for 2 minutes to infuse the oil.
4. Remove garlic from skillet.
5. Add chicken and saute for 5 minutes until skin is browned.
6. Return garlic to skillet. Turn chicken over to brown other side for (about 5 minutes).
7. Add bay leaf and sherry vinegar and bring to a boil.
8. Lower the heat and simmer gently for about 30-40 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
9. Remove from heat and sprinkle with parsley.

Serve chicken with a side of french fries, sweet potato fries, or mashed potatoes.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

An easy and delicious recipe perfect for cold nights.

Ingredients:
A whole roasted chicken (purchased already roasted), cut into 1/2 inch-wide strips
5 small corn tortillas
6 cups chicken broth
1 cup canned stewed tomatoes with juices
2 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 cup water
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, pressed
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground chili
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Preheat over to 350 F.
2. Brush tortilla with oil, cut in half. Stack halves and cut crosswise into 1/4 inch-wide strips.
3. Spread strips on a nonstick baking sheet and bake 15 minutes (until golden).
4. Combine broth, water, tomatoes, bay leaf, garlic, cumin, and chili in large pot and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat and let simmer for 5 minutes.
6. Add chicken strips, green onions, cilantro, and lime juice.
7. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve in soup bowls topped with tortilla strips.

Chicken Marsala

2016-01-24 04.53.26 My son didn’t like these flavors until recently, after he turned 3. But since my husband and I love this recipe so much, we made it every once in a while to see if he changed his mind. And now that he did and he decided that he likes it too, we’re all enjoying it often.

Ingredients:
4 skinless/boneless chicken breasts or thighs cut into thin cutlets
3 slices of prosciutto (optional)
10 or 12 oz pack of sliced mushrooms
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup dry Marsala wine
1 cup Chicken broth
Flour for dredging the chicken
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Dredge chicken in some flour seasoned with salt and pepper, shaking off the excess.
2. Heat oil over medium heat in a large skillet.
3. When the oil’s hot, add the chicken cutlets and cook until browned and cooked thoroughly in the middle (about 5 minutes on each side)
4. Remove the chicken and set aside in a covered plate.
5. Add the prosciutto to the skillet and saute for 1 minute.
6. Add the mushrooms and saute until browned and tender, about 5 minutes.
7. Remove the mushrooms and prosciutto and set aside with the chicken.
8. Add the Marsala wine to the skillet and boil for a few minutes.
9. Add the chicken broth and simmer for a minute until sauce is thickened to your liking.
10. Return the chicken to the skillet with the sauce and stir for 3-4 minutes. Return the mushrooms and prosciutto and stir for a couple of minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with angel hair pasta, mashed potatoes, or mashed cauliflower.

Chicken Piccata

I was surprised how much my son and daughter (at 19 months) liked this recipe; they both had seconds the first time I made it. Now I make this once a week. It’s inexpensive, easy, and fast to make.

Ingredients:
12 ounces angel hair pasta (or another pasta of your choice)
1 pound of boneless/skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into small cutlets
1 10 or 12 oz pack of sliced mushrooms
1/3 cup flour
3 cups chicken broth
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup white wine
3 tablespoons lemon juice
4 teaspoons olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Cook pasta until just tender according to package. TIP: Set aside a cup of the cooking water after draining the pasta to use for thickening up the sauce later.
2. Meanwhile, whisk 6 teaspoons flour and the chicken broth in a small bowl until smooth, set aside.
3. Place the remaining flour in a dish, add salt and pepper, and dredge the chicken cutlets on both sides.
4. Heat 3 teaspoons of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned and cooked thoroughly in the middle – about 4 minutes per side (or longer if you’re cooking more chicken).
5. Transfer the chicken to a plate and cover.
6. Add the remaining teaspoon of oil to the skillet over medium-high heat, add the mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes, until soft and browned, then transfer to the plate with the chicken.
7. Add garlic and wine to the pan and cook until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Make sure it comes to a boil.
8. Add the broth-flour mix and lemon juice and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring, until the sauce is thick (about 5 minutes).
9. Add the mushrooms and chicken to the sauce in the skillet, and stir for 3-4 minutes.

Mix the chicken piccata with the pasta and add cooking water as needed to thicken up the sauce before serving.