The smell of carrots and onion boiling in a pot of chicken broth is probably the most comforting aroma ever. It takes me back to cold nights as a kid snuggling with my mom, playing games or listening to her stories.

Speaking of moms, Jay’s mom lovingly made us a nice batch of home made pesto, which we’ve been gorging on because it’s so good. I’d previously purchased a bottle of pesto but last night there was no question as to which one I’d be using. Mom’s pesto is way better, in our opinion.

This recipe comes, again, from Jean Pare’s 30 Minute Pantry. Seriously, if you can find that book, get it.

Here’s what I used:

1 carrot, sliced

1 onion, chopped (original recipe says to use celery)

4 cups ready made chicken broth

1 cup water

about 3 handfuls of egg noodles

four chicken drumsticks

another onion, chopped

2 tbsp pesto

Into a pot on medium-high heat put the chicken broth and water. Add the carrot and onion and bring to a boil then add the noodles and cook until carrot is tender. While that’s happening, cook the chicken in a pan with some oil and the other chopped onion. The original recipe says to use boneless chicken thigh cut into small pieces so it will cook faster but because I used drumsticks it took a lot longer. Basically, just cook until it’s not pink inside. The onions started to burn a little so I added a bit of water, which sort of caramelized everything. Once the chicken is cooked through, add the pesto and mix to coat everything. Add to the pot of soup and stir. I let it simmer for a few minutes more to combine flavours.

Home made pesto from Jay’s mom.

Last night I used a recipe from Jean Pare’s The 30 Minute Pantry (is there anyone out there who loves the Company’s Coming series as much as we do?). The instructions are simple and easy to follow and dinner was ready in 30 minutes. Of course it does help if you prep all the ingredients ahead of time like I did.

To prep rinse the pork chops and pat dry with a paper towel and set aside. Mix together about 2 or 3 tbsp of flour with 1/2 tsp of oregano, 1/4 tsp salt and black pepper to taste in a shallow dish (I used my pie plate which unfortunately suffered a fatal accident during the night – for some reason it felt the need to hop off the drying rack and plummet to its death on the floor). Set that aside. In a small bowl combine about a tsp of lemon rind and 2 cloves of chopped garlic. In another small bowl squeeze about 2 tbsp of fresh lemon juice. You will also need a cup of chicken broth. For the asparagus I cut the ends off and then chopped another two cloves of garlic.

To cook the pork chops heat a skillet at medium high heat with a tbsp of butter and a tbsp of  olive oil. Press the the pork chops into the flour mixture to coat both sides then place them in the skillet and cook until the meat is not pink in the middle – about 2-4 minutes on each side depending on the thickness. Reserve the leftover flour mixture. Place pork chops on a plate and cover to keep warm. In the same skillet add the leftover flour and then add the lemon rind, garlic, and lemon juice. Slowly stir in the chicken broth and continue stirring until it thickens. Drizzle over pork chops and serve.

To cook the asparagus heat a pot with butter and olive oil on medium high heat. Throw in the garlic for about 30 seconds then add the asparagus and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper if you want. Cover and let it cook for about 10 minutes if you want them tender. If you want them much softer then cook another 10 minutes. I sort of burnt the garlic and was afraid it would ruin the asparagus but I kept moving it around and it turned out amazing, especially with the lemony gravy on top.

Crack open a bottle of red wine and enjoy!

This has got to stop. Last night I broke out of my restricted Rachael Ray Rolodex of recipes and I made her Turbo Classics Rosemary Lemon Chicken with Pesto Mashed Potatoes. I really can’t explain why I never made this before as it was ridiculously easy to make. I think I have an aversion to buying fresh rosemary because I never use it all and it ends up going bad.

Anyway, please do make this for dinner if and when you want something warm, comforting, and most importantly absolutely delicious. The smell of the chicken as it comes out of the oven is mouth-watering. And where did she get the idea to mash potatoes with pesto? Genius!

Recipe for the chicken can be found here. The potatoes recipe can be found here.

Note – I used chicken thighs instead of chicken breast as I find breast a bit too dry for my taste.

For dinner, still in the mood for soup, I brought out the Cooking Light magazine my friend gave me and I flipped over to the potato soup recipe featured on the cover. In hindsight I should have realized that potatoes would make for a very thick and heavy soup – turned out to be more like super tasty mashed potatoes. Jay said, “Potato stew.” But I think he was being nice. I’d probably make this again but next time I’ll use less flour and add more stock or milk.

Here is my version of the potato soup recipe, serves 2-3

2 baking potatoes

1/3 whole wheat flour

3 cups 2% milk

2 oz cheddar cheese, grated

1/2 cup fat free sour cream

2 green onions, chopped

3 bacon slices, crumbled

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400F. Bake the potatoes for an hour or until tender. Let them cool and peel then coarsely mash them. The magazine says to lightly spoon flour (all purpose flour) into a dry measuring cup and then level it with a knife but I scooped whole wheat flour with the measuring cup so maybe that affected the portion. Who knows. Place the flour in a pot and gradually add the milk and whisk until blended and cook over medium heat for about 8 minutes until thick and bubbly. Now, I’m not sure but I think what I did wrong was to heat the flour and milk as I whisked, making the mixture thicker than it should have been so just keep that in mind in case you decide to try this. Next, add the potatoes, a little more than half the cheese, salt and pepper and cook until cheese melts. Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream and 3/4 of the onions. Cook over low heat for about 10 minutes but don’t let it boil. Serve with cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon, and green onions.

Next I made her Hungarian Hot Sausage and Lentil “Stoup.” Here is my slightly adapted version:

Hungarian Chorizo and Lentil “Stoup”

Makes 4 servings

About 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil – evoo (I kept saying this in my best impersonation of Ms Ray to Jay’s confused face, “What’s evoo?”)

150g Spanish style chorizo, sliced (unfortunately I mixed up the chorizo and the sausage when I brought out my ingredients)

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

2 portobello mushrooms, gills scraped out, chopped

1 cup shredded carrots (one large carrot was enough)

1 cup canned lentils

1 large starchy potato, peeled and chopped

1 bay leaf

1 tbsp cumin (but I would advise using less than this)

1 tsp sweet paprika

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp rosemary

14oz canned diced tomatoes

3 cups chicken broth

Heat the oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Brown the chorizo 2-3 minutes and then add the onion, garlic, and mushrooms. Sauté for a bit then add the carrots, lentils, potatoes, bay leaf, paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper, and rosemary. Next add the tomatoes and broth. Cover the pot, raise heat to high to bring to a fast boil then remove lid and boil for about 15 minutes. Serve with some toasted bread and butter. This spicy soup will warm you up on the coldest of days.

I’ve made a few modifications to the soups:

Shrimp Bisque

serves 4, 3 points per 1 cup serving

3/4 lb medium shrimp, peeled and de-veined (reserve the shells)

1 bouillon cube dissolved in 3 cups of water (chicken or vegetable would work, I used mushroom flavour) or 3 cups of broth

2 1/2 cups water

2 tsp unsalted butter

2 shallots, chopped

1/4 cup long grain rice

1 tbsp tomato paste

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Salt to taste

Place the shrimp shells in a large pot and cover with the broth and water. Cook and bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes to allow the flavours to blend. Strain the broth and discard the shells. Set aside the broth. Melt the butter over medium heat and then add the shallots and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the reserved broth, the rice, and tomato paste. Bring to a boil then lower heat and simmer for about 20 minutes or until rice is tender. Stir in the shrimp, salt, and cayenne pepper and cook until shrimp are ready, about 3 minutes. Scoop out 8 shrimp or so from the pot and place on a cutting board, chop and set aside. Let the soup cool about 5 minutes and then puree in batches in a blender or food processor. Return to heat and simmer until heated through. Serve with chopped shrimp on top and a dollop of home made salsa for an added kick.
Check out this other recipe too:

Shredded Beef and Potato Soup with Chimichurri

serves 6, 5 points per 1 cup serving

1 pound boneless bottom round steak, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces

Salt

3 cups beef broth or 1 beef flavoured bouillon cube dissolved in 3 cups water

14oz diced canned tomatoes

3 or 4 pickled jalapeño peppers, chopped.

1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Juice of half a lime

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

1 tsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 cups diced potato

Heat a bit of oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and add the beef and salt. Cook and turn the beef until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the broth, tomatoes, and jalapeño peppers. Bring to a boil then lower heat and simmer for one hour. Scoop out the beef to a cutting board and let it cool. Set aside the broth and tomato liquid. Shred the beef with two forks or do what I did and use your fingers. To make the chimichurri, combine the cilantro, lime juice, garlic, a dash of salt, and the crushed red pepper and set aside. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat and add the onions, stirring until softened. Add the potatoes and the broth-tomato liquid and bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add the beef and simmer for another 2 minutes. Serve with chimichurri on top.

Haddock Burgers, makes two

2 haddock fillets (or cod or halibut)

2 kaiser buns, preferably whole-wheat

Tomato cut into thick slices

Lettuce

Red onion cut into slices

Old cheddar cheese cut into slices

For tartar sauce:

2 tbsp mayo

2 or 3 mini pickles, minced

1 tsp capers, minced

Set the oven to broil. Spray olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper over fish fillets and place on a baking sheet then set aside. Mix the mayo, pickles, and capers together in a small bowl. You could also puree them to get a smoother consistency for the tartar sauce. I tried using my Magic Bullet but the amount was too small and it all ended up smeared against the sides of the container. When the oven is heated place the fillets inside and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until cooked. I am terrible at judging when something looks cooked so I tend to cook things a little bit longer than suggested.

Assemble sandwiches with the tartar sauce, lettuce, onion, tomatoes, cheese, and of course the fish fillets.

Acorn Squash and Roasted Garlic Bisque, makes about 4 servings
1 acorn squash
1 head of garlic
Olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
2 tbsp butter
3 cups of chicken broth
1/2 cup whipping cream

Preheat oven to 350F. Cut the squash in half and remove seeds. Spray a bit of oil over each half and place face down in a baking pan. Do not peel the head of garlic but cut it in quarters, then wrap tightly in foil and place on the baking pan with the squash. Bake for approx 40 minutes. Once cooked, let the garlic and squash cool a bit. Scoop out the softened flesh from the squash and set aside. Unwrap the garlic and mash with a fork.
Melt the butter in a pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and sauté until soft. Next, add the broth (we used 3 cups of water and a chicken flavoured bouillon cube) and squash and cook on low for about 15 minutes. Add the garlic to the soup. Puree the soup in batches in a blender or food processor until nice and smooth. Return to heat and stir in the cream. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve. It has such a lovely colour and Mm! So warm and yummy.

Chicken Parmesan, serves 2-4 depending on how hungry you are
4 chicken thighs, I didn’t remove the skin or bones
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp Frank’s Redhot
Pinch of salt and pepper

1 cup breadcrumbs
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
Pinch of salt and pepper

1 14 oz can of crushed tomatoes
1 5 oz can tomato paste
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tbsp sugar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
1 tsp marjoram
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp rosemary
Water
Salt and pepper to taste

Parmesan cheese
Mozzarella cheese

Mix together in a large bowl the milk, eggs, garlic powder, onion powder, Frank’s Redhot, salt, and pepper. Place the chicken pieces in the bowl, cover, and place in the fridge to soak for 4 to 6 hours.
Once you’re ready to start cooking, make the sauce by heating about a tablespoon of oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft. Stir in the garlic and cook another 30 seconds before adding the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. Stir in the sugar, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, salt and pepper. Fill the empty can of tomato paste with water and add that water to the pot. Lower heat and simmer.
Preheat oven to 325F. In a shallow plate or bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt and pepper. Cover each chicken piece in the bread crumb mixture making sure each piece is well coated. Heat oil in a frying pan and fry the chicken until just brown on each side.
In a baking dish, large enough to fit the chicken pieces without overlapping, pour half the tomato sauce on the bottom. Place the chicken in the pan and pour the remainder of the sauce over top. Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese on top and bake for about 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle grated mozzarella cheese and put back in the oven for about 6 to 8 minutes more.
I served this with fried rice with corn and a simple salad. Jay was very happy and he absolutely loved the tomato sauce.

It’s with this love of Nutella that I eagerly baked a batch of chocolate hazelnut cookies, filled with none other than Nutella. God I love that stuff.

This is another recipe from 1 Dough, 100 Cookies by Linda Doeser.

Makes about 30 cookies

1 cup butter, room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg yolk

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup ground hazelnuts

1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

4 tbsp chocolate hazelnut spread (Nutella)

salt

Preheat oven to 375F. Mix butter and sugar until creamy and smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Sift into the mixture the flour, cocoa powder and a pinch of salt. Add the hazelnuts and chocolate chips. At this point you will probably have to knead the dough with your hands. Don’t worry if it looks too dry and hard, it’ll turn into cookie dough texture once it’s kneaded. Use a tablespoon to scoop the dough and roll into balls with your hands. Use the handle of a wooden spoon to make a hollow in the centre of each cookie. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Let the cookies cool completely before filling them with Nutella. I snipped off a corner from a plastic sandwich bag to “pipe” the Nutella into the cookies.