Chicken Noodle Soup

Chicken Noodle Soup
Adapted from Country Living Magazine

Chicken noodle soup is a classic. In other words, it can sometimes be boring. This is a quick and delicious variation. Use whatever noodles you like best.

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 leeks, white and light-green parts only, cut crosswise into 1/3-inch pieces with rings intact
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
8 cups chicken broth (maybe a few more)
1 clove garlic, smashed
1 1/2 cups noodles (use as much or as little as you want)
3 cups sliced roast chicken (can roast yourself, use leftovers, or buy it roasted)
2 cups frozen peas, thawed
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill

In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. Once hot, carefully add leeks in a single layer, so rings don't unravel. Reduce heat to medium or medium-low, season with salt and pepper, and cook 9 minutes; turn leeks, set heat to low, and cook until golden, about 9 more minutes.

Meanwhile, in a 5-quart pot, bring broth and garlic to a boil. Stir in noodles; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but still firm, 9 to 12 minutes (Depends on the type you use. I used whole-wheat shells). Discard garlic.

Set aside a few leeks per serving for garnish. Add remaining leeks to soup, along with chicken, peas, and dill, and cook for 2 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and garnish with reserved leeks.

Linguine in Saffron Cream Sauce

This is so good I made it three times in one week. First with scallops, then with shrimp, then plain as a side dish. I also made it once with Smart Balance butter and it came out just as delicious as with regular.

Linguine in a Saffron Cream Sauce

For the Saffron sauce:
1/3 cup finely minced shallots
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 stick cold butter, cut into pieces
1 pinch saffron threads
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Salt and white pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 - 10 minutes.

Make the saffron sauce. In a heavy saucepan combine shallots and white wine. Reduce to 2 tablespoons and then add saffron threads and 1 to 2 tablespoons of cream. Place pan over high heat and whisk in butter a piece at a time, adding the next piece before the last one has completely melted, stirring constantly. Do not allow mixture to boil. Add fresh lemon juice and salt and white pepper to taste.

Salad with Warm Goat Cheese

Salads are so much better with a crunch! This is one of my favorite light lunches/dinners. The goat cheese is so creamy and lemony - it tastes so much better this way than simply crumbled. This recipe is originally from Barefoot Contessa, so I included her dressing recipe. When I make it, I just put a salad together with whatever vinaigrette I have on hand or I'll dress it with just olive oil, salt and pepper.



Salad with Warm Goat Cheese

1 (11-ounce) log plain or herbed Montrachet
4 extra-large egg whites, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Panko bread crumbs

For the dressing:
2 tablespoons good cider vinegar
2 tablespoons good Champagne vinegar
Pinch sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 extra-large egg yolk
1 cup good olive oil

Enough mixed salad greens for 6 servings

Olive oil and unsalted butter, for frying

Slice the Montrachet into 12 (1/2-inch-thick) slices. (The easiest way to slice goat cheese is to use a length of dental floss.) Dip each slice into the beaten egg whites, then the bread crumbs, being sure the cheese is thoroughly coated. Place the slices on a plate and chill them for at least 15 minutes in the fridge.

For the dressing, place the vinegars, sugar, salt, pepper, and egg yolk in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and blend for 1 minute. With the motor running, slowly pour the olive oil through the feed tube until the vinaigrette is thickened. Season, to taste.

Toss the salad greens with enough dressing to moisten, then divide them among 6 plates.

Melt 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a saute pan over medium-high heat until just under smoking. Cook the goat cheese rounds quickly on both sides until browned on the outside but not melted inside. Top each salad with 2 warm rounds and serve.

Cecile's Key Lime Pie

I spent a lot of time with my grandparents at their house in the Keys when I was young. We always had barbecue with baked potatoes and key lime pie.



This is one of my grandmother's specialties. She has eleven children, therefore, she only makes what is fast and easy. The pie is not very tart - which I like. The more key lime juice you add, the more tart it gets.



Cecile's Key Lime Pie

1 ready-made graham cracker crust
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup and 2 tablespoons key lime juice (recommended: Nellie and Joe’s)
2 cups cool whip (about 1 8-oz container)
1 (14 oz) can condensed milk

Beat milk and salt on low. Slowly add juice. Fold in cool whip. Cover and set in fridge for a few hours.

Candied Almond Salad

This salad is sooo good. It is sweet and tangy, crunchy and refreshing. I personally like the vinaigrette with only 1/3 olive oil, but thats me. This is a great salad that seems like a lot of work but is really quick and easy to prepare. You can use any type of lettuce or greens and nuts, whatever you have.



Candied Almond Salad

Candied Almonds:
1 (6-oz.) package almond slivers
2 tablespoons butter, melted
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon curry powder
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

Maple-Cider Vinaigrette:
1/3 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2/3 cup olive oil

Salad:
1 (10-oz.) package fresh leafy greens or baby spinach, thoroughly washed
1 apple, thinly sliced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 (4-oz.) package crumbled goat cheese

Preheat oven to 350°. Toss almonds in butter. Stir together sugar and next 4 ingredients in a bowl; add pecans, tossing to coat. Spread in a single layer in a nonstick aluminum foil-lined pan. Bake 8 – 10 minutes or until lightly browned and toasted. Cool in pan on a wire rack 20 minutes; separate almonds with a fork.

To prepare vinaigrette, whisk together cider vinegar and next 4 ingredients. Gradually whisk in oil until well blended.

Prepare Salad. Combine greens or spinach and next 3 ingredients in a bowl. Drizzle with desired amount of Maple-Cider Vinaigrette; toss to coat. Sprinkle with almonds. Serve salad with any remaining vinaigrette.

Summer Chowder

I love soup, even when it is 90 degrees outside. Not too many meals offer every flavor at once. All the ingredients of this soup are in season right now. It can be served warm or chilled and easily be converted into a vegetarian dish.



Summer Chowder

1 – 1 1/2 pounds unpeeled, head-on large shrimp
3 cups water
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup yellow onions, peeled and chopped (about 1)
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced
1 cup celery, chopped
1 tablespoon finely minced jalapeno (optional)
1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped (about 1 cup)
1 yellow or orange bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped (about 1 cup)
2 tablespoon fresh tarragon, finely chopped (or thyme)
1 tablespoon whole wheat flour
3 – 3 ½ tomatoes, diced
3 cups frozen sweet corn kernels (1 16-oz bag)
1/2 cup half-and-half
1 tablespoon finely minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

Remove the shrimps’ tails, peels, and heads and place these in a large saucepan. Set aside the shrimp meat in a bowl for later use in this recipe. In the saucepan, boil the shrimp tails, peels, and heads with the water and lemon juice for 10 minutes. Strain the broth through a fine sieve and set aside for later use in this recipe.

In a large Dutch oven, sauté the onions and garlic in the olive oil on medium-high heat for two minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the celery, chopped bell pepper, minced jalapeno pepper, and tarragon. Sauté for two additional minutes. Reduce the burner heat to medium, sprinkle on the flour, stir well, and sauté for two additional minutes. Gradually add, stirring continuously, the cubed tomatoes and the strained shrimp broth. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the corn kernels to the mixture in the Dutch oven and simmer for an additional three minutes. Add the reserved raw shrimp, parsley, cream, salt, and pepper. Simmer for an additional two minutes or until the shrimp is no longer translucent. Taste and correct the seasoning, if needed, by adding salt, pepper, and/or crushed red pepper, to taste.

Coconut Cake

I like tropical flavors in the summer such as lime, mango, and coconut. This is one of the best cakes I have ever made - and I have made a lot. It is light, fluffy, moist, and has just the right amount of flavor. You can frost it with whichever frosting you prefer. I used a simple vanilla buttercream.

Tip: I initially flavored the buttercream with coconut extract. Don't do that - It wasn't good.

Coconut Cake
Adapted from Rose’s Heavenly Cakes

6 large egg whites, at room temperature (3/4 cup)
1 1/3 cups, divided canned coconut milk
1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 ½ teaspoons pure cocnut extract
4 cups, sifted into the cup and leveled off cake flour (or 3 ½ cups bleached all-purpose flour)
2 cups superfine sugar
5 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 8 ounces) unsalted butter (65 degress to 75 degrees)

Prepare two 9 by 2-inch round cake pans. Bottoms should be coated with shortening, topped with paarchment rounds, then coated with baking spray and floured.

Twenty minutes or more before baking, set an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, whisk the egg whites, 1/3 cup of the coconut milk, the vanilla, and coconut extract just until lightly combined.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt on low speed for 30 seconds. Add the butter and the remaining coconut milk. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Raise the speed to medium and beat for 1 ½ minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Starting on medium-low speed, gradually add the egg white mixture in three parts, beating on medium speed for 20 econds after each addition to incorporate the ingredients and strengthen the structure. Using a silicone spatula, scrape the batter into the prepared pans and smooth the surface evenly with a small offset spatula. Each will be about half full.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a wire cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean and the cakes spring back with pressed lighly in the center. The cakes should start to shrink from the sides of the pan only after removal from the oven.

Let the cakes cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a small metal spatula between the sides of the pans and the cakes, pressing firmly against the pans, and invert the cakes onto wire racks that have been coated lighly with nonstick cooking spray. To prevent splitting, reinvert the cakes so that the tops are up. Cool compeltely.

Frost with buttercream or cream cheese frosting. Top with coconut flakes.

Note: Before measuring coconut milk, pour it into a bowl and whisk or stir it to a uniform consistency. To make superfine sugar, process granulated sugar in a food processor then measure.

Buttercream Frosting

I got this recipe from King Arthur Flour. You may use all butter, but using non transfat vegetable shortening makes a frosting that will be a little firmer in warmer temperatures. The first time I made it I used all butter and it was very buttery. If you plan to use only butter, start off with half the amount, taste, and add as you go. That is how I prefer to make it anyway.

This amount of frosting is fine to frost the top of a 9 x 13-inch cake. If you're frosting a layer cake, double the recipe to have enough frosting to pipe decorations.

¼ cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter
¼ cup non-transfat vegetable shortening (or butter)
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon meringue powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 to 3 cups (10 to 12 ounces) confectioners' sugar or glazing sugar
2 to 4 tablespoons (1 to 2 ounces) milk

Cream together the butter and/or shortening until fluffy. beat in the salt, meringue powder, and the vanilla. Add the confectioners' or glazing sugar, 2 tablespoons of the milk, and beat well.

Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Adjust the consistency of the frosting as needed by adding more confectioners' sugar or milk. If you're not going to use the frosting right away, keep it at room temperature, covered, to prevent it from developing a dry crust.Yield: 2 1/2 cups.