Cooking Recipes and Tips for Aspiring Chefs & Home Cooks

Easy Homemade Chicken Soup Recipe

paulinems — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 01:33:39 +0000

There is nothing quite like a hot, soothing bowl of homemade chicken soup, especially when your sick or when the weather starts getting cold. I am sure many of us have fond memories of Mom or Grandma fixing up a hot bowl of chicken soup when we were younger. Remember how comforting it was and how good it made you feel? I sure do and I look forward to making chicken soup at least once a month during the cold days of winter. I am going to share with you one of the most delicious recipes for chicken soup, passed down to me from my Grandmother. It is quite easy to make and I promise you will enjoy this again and again…

I rarely follow exact measurements while cooking, so the ingredients below are approximated. Please forgive me in advance..

INGREDIENTS

2 Large Chicken Breasts on the Bone, Skin on

3 Large Celery Stalks Sliced (Reserve Leaves)

3 Large Carrots Sliced

1 Medium Onion Chopped

3 Cloves of Garlic Crushed

2 Medium Russet Potatoes Cubed

1 Cup of Small Pasta for Soup (Orzo, Ditalini)

Water

Chicken Stock

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Grated Italian Cheese (Optional)

Bouquet garni of Thyme, Sage and Rosemary (Instructions Below)….

Read the rest of this easy homemade chicken soup recipe here.

Thanksgiving Cornbread Stuffing Recipe

paulinems — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:17:08 +0000

Nothing compliments a delicious Thanksgiving turkey better than a good homemade stuffing. No store bought stuffing allowed here, especially when it is very easy to make your own. There are so many different ways to make a good stuffing, but the following recipe is one of my favorites. It is much more exciting then your traditional stuffing.

I would like to clarify something first before we begin. This recipe is called a stuffing, but it is actually a dressing. A stuffing is something that is actually stuffed into the turkey during the cooking process, while a dressing is made separately. I prefer to make this recipe separately as I feel it is safer. If you cook anything inside a turkey you run the risk of getting sick. This is because anything cooked inside a turkey may not reach a hot enough cooking temperature to safely kill harmful bacteria. Why take the risk when you can make a delicious stuffing, or dressing, separately….. Let’s begin…

Read the rest of this Thanksgiving Cornbread Stuffing Recipe

How to Grill Filet Mignon

paulinems — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 06:36:39 +0000

Cooking filet mignon can be a nerve wracking experience for any home chef. People become so frightened when it comes to grilling filet mignon. It is after all a very expensive cut of meat and if you don’t know what you are doing, you could easily ruin it. But really folks, it isn’t rocket science. The trick to cooking the perfect filet mignon is to not overdo it. It really doesn’t need to grill that long at all. There is nothing worse than an overcooked steak.

Step 1 – Seasoning

The first step is to season your filet. It doesn’t take much. Just a little salt and pepper. Some chefs recommend that you do not add salt until after the steak is done as it can dry the steak out. I don’t like to take any chances, so I choose to salt the steak after it comes off the grill. I recommend using a coarse salt like kosher. After you season the filet mignon, just leave it out on the counter and allow it to come to room temperature, about 45 minutes or so….

Read the rest of this post on how to grill filet mignon here.

Oven Roasted Butternut Squash Recipe with Sausage and Apples

paulinems — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 06:40:05 +0000

Butternut squash is part of the winter squash family. It has a wonderful nutty and sweet flavor. Roasting butternut squash can really bring out this fantastic flavor even more. Butternut squash is very similar in flavor to pumpkin, which is why in Australia it is referred to as “Butternut Pumpkin”. It is no surprise how this squash is often substituted in recipes that call for pumpkin. Not only is this squash very tasty, but it also has a ton of health benefits. It is loaded with vitamin A and is a good source of fiber, magnesium and potassium. It is has no fat, cholesterol or sodium either.

The following recipe is one of my favorite ways to eat squash. This recipe will also make a wonderful Thanksgiving Day side dish that you can make ahead of time the day or night before…

Read the rest of this oven roasted butternut squash recipe here.

Simple Healthy Salad Recipes

paulinems — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:15:29 +0000

Looking for some delicious and simple healthy salad recipes? I know how boring the same old ordinary salad can be. Sometimes the tossed garden salad just doesn’t cut it. Not to worry, I have collected some wonderful video recipes from YouTube on how to make a few excellent salads that are sure to please your palate…

View these Easy Healthy Salad Recipes here.

Easy Low Calorie Meals

paulinems — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:40:55 +0000

Looking for healthy low calorie dinner recipes? I know it can be difficult to find healthy and delicious meals to make when you are counting calories, so I did a bit of searching for you to hopefully make things a bit easier. Below are videos and other resources that will teach you how to make healthy low calorie dinner recipes. Enjoy!

View these easy low calorie meals here.

How to Cook a Pot Roast in a Crock Pot

paulinems — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 22:22:53 +0000

One of the most satisfying and delicious home cooked meals you will ever make is a pot roast cooked in a slow cooker, also known as a crock pot. It is especially wonderful during cold winter months. This easy to make, tender and savory pot roast recipe is sure to be a huge hit with your friends and family. There are many variations to this dish and if you ask 5 different people how they prepare a pot roast, you will more than likely receive 5 different answers. While the ingredients for making pot roast may vary from cook to cook, the method is generally the same: Season then brown a piece of meat on all sides and then slowly cook the meat along with a mix of vegetables in some type of broth mixture until the meat is fork tender….

Read the rest of this article on how to cook a pot roast.

Easy and Healthy Split Pea Soup Recipe

paulinems — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 17:07:09 +0000

The weather is starting to get colder as winter approaches and there is nothing more comforting and satisfying than a hot bowl of homemade soup. One of my favorite kinds of soups to make at home is split pea soup. It is easy, healthy and delicious. The best part about making split pea soup is that it won’t cost much to cook this for your family….

Read the rest of this healthy split pea soup recipe here.

Healthy Baked Italian Style Tilapia

paulinems — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 06:04:24 +0000

Healthy Baked Italian Style Tilapia Recipe

This is one of the most delicious and easy tilapia recipes you will ever make. Not only is this recipe easy and tasty, but it is also quite healthy.

My Mother In Law made this dish for me when she came to visit not too long ago and ever since, I have been in love with it. It is quite often the simple dishes that have the most flavor in my opinion.

INGREDIENTS

The secret to this dish is using fresh quality ingredients.

4 Roma or Plum Tomatoes Diced

2 Tilapia Filets

1 Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil plus a few drizzles.

Salt and Pepper to Taste

2 Cloves of Garlic Chopped

2 Tablespoons of Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley

2 Tablespoons of Fresh Basil

DIRECTIONS

This recipe really works best using a cast iron pan. There is just something about food cooked in a cast iron pan that makes it taste better. If you don’t have a cast iron pan, an alternate set of instructions follows….

Read the rest of this healthy tilapia recipe here.

Grilled Tilapia Recipes

paulinems — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 22:50:33 +0000

Tilapia has become one of the most popular types of seafood consumed in the U.S. Who doesn’t love Tilapia? It is a delicious fish and one of the more affordable options for seafood lovers. It is high in protein, low in fat and sodium and can be cooked a variety of different ways. One of the more healthy and tasty methods for cooking Tilapia is to grill them. Below are several healthy grilled tilapia recipes….

Read the rest of this post on healthy grilled tilapia recipes here.