Baked Potato with Bacon soup

1 pound baking potatoes, cubed

2 cups 2% low-fat milk

2 teaspoons reduced-calorie margarine

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup sliced green onions

4 teaspoons bottled real bacon bits




Place potato cubes in a medium saucepan; cover with water, and bring to a boil. Cook 15 minutes or until very tender; drain. Return potatoes to pan, and mash to desired consistency. Add milk, margarine, salt, and pepper; stir well. Cook over medium heat until thoroughly heated, stirring frequently.


Ladle soup into individual bowls; top with green onions and bacon bits.


Serving size: 2 cups soup, 2 tablespoons green onions, and 2 teaspoons bacon bits




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Nutrition Facts

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Yield: 2 servings
Facts per Serving


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Calories: 364 Fat: 8g Carbohydrates: 58g
Cholesterol: 23mg Sodium: 922mg Protein: 15g
Fiber: 4g % Cal. from Fat: 20% % Cal. from Carbs: 64%

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Chicken Soup with Dumplings

1/2 cup pearl barley

1/2 lb frozen lima beans (broad)

2 tablespoons oil

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced

3 leeks, well-washed, trimmed and sliced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

3 stalks celery, chopped

3 medium carrots, chopped

2 medium zucchinis, chopped

8 cups chicken stock

1/2 cup tomato paste

1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

Salt and pepper


Dumplings:

1/4 cup cornmeal

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

4 tablespoons cold butter, grated

1/2 cup water




Rinse the barley under cold water until the water runs clear; drain. Pour boiling water over the beans, drain and remove skins.


Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the chicken in batches, cook until well browned all over - this is important to achieve color and flavor. Add the leeks, garlic, celery, carrots and zucchini, cook, stirring, until leeks are soft. Add the chicken stock and tomato paste, bring to a boil. Add the barley and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Return the chicken to the pan with the beans.


For the Dumplings:
Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl, stir in the cheese and butter and mix well. Add enough of the water to form a soft dough. Drop level tablespoons of dumpling mixture into the simmering soup, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the dumplings, are cooked through and the barley is tender. Stir in the herbs, season to taste with salt and pepper, serve immediately.


The soup can be prepared a day ahead, however, the barley will thicken the soup overnight. The dumplings are best made just before serving as they will thicken soup also.




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Nutrition Facts

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Serves 6
Facts per Serving


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Calories: 699 Fat: 19g Carbohydrates: 74g
Cholesterol: 109mg Sodium: 656mg Protein: 56g
Fiber: 15g % Cal. from Fat: 24% % Cal. from Carbs: 42%

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Corn Chowder

2 tablespoons butter

4 scallions, white bulbs and green tops chopped and reserved separately

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 ribs celery, chopped

1 pound boiling potatoes (about 3), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice

4 cups fresh corn kernels (cut from about 8 ears)

1 bay leaf

1 quart canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock

2 teaspoons salt

2 cups milk

1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper

Sour cream, for serving (optional)




In a large saucepan, melt the butter over moderately low heat. Add the scallion bulbs, bell pepper, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften, about 10 minutes. Stir in the potatoes, 2 cups of the corn, the bay leaf, broth, and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.


In a blender or food processor, puree the remaining 2 cups corn with the milk. Stir the puree into the soup along with the black pepper. Simmer until the soup thickens slightly, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the scallion greens. Top each serving with a dollop of sour cream, if using.


VARIATIONS: If you want to use frozen corn, puree two cups of it with the milk as directed above, and add the remaining two cups to the soup along with the puree. Since the corn is already cooked, it might toughen if it goes in earlier. You could add a pinch of sugar, too.


WINE RECOMMENDATION: Chardonnay seems to have an affinity for corn; perhaps it is the sweet buttery flavors that complement each other so well. For best effect with this chowder, pick a rich, full-bodied example from southeastern Australia.












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Nutrition Facts

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Serves 4
Facts per Serving


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Calories: 385 Fat: 10g Carbohydrates: 63g
Cholesterol: 25mg Sodium: 1426mg Protein: 18g
Fiber: 7g % Cal. from Fat: 23% % Cal. from Carbs: 65%

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Chicken and Wild RIce Soup

1 (6-oz.) box long-grain and wild rice mix, prepared according to package directions

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 (8-oz.) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, chopped

2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 1/4 cups chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 cans (14.5-oz.) chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon, crushed

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed

1 can (12-oz.) Nestle Carnation Evaporated Milk

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons dry white wine, (optional)

Black Pepper




Heat oil in large saucepan. Add chicken, mushrooms, onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender and chicken is no longer pink. Add rice, broth, tarragon and thyme; bring to a boil over medium-high heat.


Combine small amount of evaporated milk and cornstarch in small bowl; stir until smooth. Add to saucepan with remaining evaporated milk and wine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soup is thickened.

Garnish each serving with sliced green onions and toasted slivered almonds or fresh tarragon leaves if desired. Season with ground black pepper.

Tex-Mex Chili

1 tablespoon cumin seeds

1 /2 teaspoon coriander seeds

2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves or 1 tablespoon dried

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 lb. beef chuck, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1/2 large yellow onion, chopped

8 cloves garlic, chopped

5 fresh jalapenos (preferably red), stemmed, seeded, and chopped

3 tablespoons masa harina

2 tablespoons ground pasilla powder

2 lb. tomatoes (fresh or canned), seeded and chopped

1 dried chipotle chile, seeded

1 dried New Mexico red chile

1 bottle (12 oz.) dark beer, such as Negra Modelo

1 oz. unsweetened chocolate

4 cups water or homemade or low-salt canned chicken stock




Toast and grind the cumin and coriander, and toast the fresh oregano (don’t toast dried oregano).


In a large, heavy-based skillet, Dutch oven, or stockpot, heat the oil until very hot. Brown the meat in the oil in batches (add more oil to the pan as needed), being careful not to crowd the pan or the meat will stew in its own juices and not brown. Transfer the browned meat from the pan to a plate lined with paper towels. Don’t clean the skillet after browning the meat.


To the same skillet, add the onion, garlic, jalapenos, masa harina, pasilla powder, the toasted ground cumin and coriander, and toasted (or dried) oregano. Stir over medium-high heat until the onion begins to soften, 5 to 8 min. Return the meat to the skillet; add the tomatoes, whole dried chiles, beer, chocolate, and water or stock. Simmer until the meat is fork-tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove the whole chiles before serving.










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Nutrition Facts

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Yields 5 cups; serves 4
Facts per Serving


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Calories: 810 Fat: 37g Carbohydrates: 34g
Cholesterol: 234mg Sodium: 195mg Protein: 83g
Fiber: 8g % Cal. from Fat: 41% % Cal. from Carbs: 17%

Bean Soup

1 pound (Michigan) navy beans

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 cups chopped onion

1 cup chopped celery

1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic

3 smoked ham hocks (about 2 pounds)

2 quarts water

2 teaspoons vinegar

1 1/2 cup ketchup

1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 cups peeled, diced potatoes

2 cups peeled, diced carrots

1 cup tomato juice




Cover the beans with cold water and soak overnight. Drain, discard water.


Heat the oil in a large pot. Over medium heat, sauté the onion, celery, and garlic, about 10 minutes.


Add the ham hocks, water and drained beans to the onion mixture. Stir the mixture and add the vinegar, ketchup, and thyme. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 2 hours.


Add the potatoes, carrots, and tomato juice. Simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.


Remove the ham hocks from the soup and discard. (If desired, meat may be removed from the bones and added to the soup.)



Nutrition Facts


Makes 8 servings
Facts per Serving


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Calories: 740 Fat: 34g Carbohydrates: 63g
Cholesterol: 124mg Sodium: 684mg Protein: 47g
Fiber: 17g % Cal. from Fat: 41% % Cal. from Carbs: 34%

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Chilie Crusted Roast

Ancho Chile-Crusted Tri-Tip Roast
Source: Cooking.com

6 Servings











The dusky, earthly flavor of dried ancho chiles is a sensational partner for beef.




For Chile Mixture:
2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded, torn into small pieces
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoon (packed) dark brown sugar
For Roast:
2 1 3/4 to 2 pound well-trimmed tri tip beef roasts



TO MAKE CHILE MIXTURE: Combine ancho chiles, cumin, garlic and salt in mini processor or spice/coffee mill and grind to powder. Transfer chile mixture to small bowl. Mix in yogurt and sugar; let stand 1 hour.


FOR ROAST: Place 2 racks on large baking sheet. Place roasts, fat side down, on racks.


Coat surfaces with chile mixture. Turn roasts over. Spread remaining chile mixture over top and sides of roasts. Refrigerate, uncovered, 1 day.


Position rack in lowest third of oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Roast beef until thermometer registers 130 degrees F for medium-rare, about 40 minutes. Let stand 30 minutes before slicing thinly.

Veggie Chili

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 stalks celery chopped
1 green bell pepper chopped
1 red bell pepper chopped
2 serrano peppers, seeded and minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
6 cups cooked beans, such as garbanzo, pinto or navy
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup masa harina or 3 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons water
2 cups cooked corn
2 medium zucchini, cooked and sliced
3/4 cup grated Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese
Tortilla chips
In a large, deep cast-iron pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil. Add the onion and celery and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the green and red bell peppers and cook for 5 minutes more.
Stir in the chopped chili peppers, garlic, chili powder, and cumin. Then add the beans, broth, herbs, and salt. Simmer for 15 minutes. Thicken the chili with the masa harina or cornstarch. Stir in the cooked corn and zucchini and heat thoroughly.
Serve each bowl garnished with the Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese and tortilla chips.








Nutrition Facts
Makes 10 servingsFacts per Serving
Calories: 289
Fat: 8g
Carbohydrates: 41g
Cholesterol: 8mg
Sodium: 311mg
Protein: 15g
Fiber: 10g
% Cal. from Fat: 25%
% Cal. from Carbs: 57%

Chicken Rouladen

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (1 pound total)
4 teaspoons honey mustard or Dijon-style mustard
4 slices thinly sliced fully cooked ham (1 1/2 ounces total)
One 7 1/4-ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon snipped fresh basil or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
Rinse chicken; pat dry. Place each breast half between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Working from the center to the edges, pound chicken lightly with the flat side of a meat mallet to a 1/4-inch thickness. Remove plastic wrap.
Spread each of the chicken breast halves with 1 teaspoon of the mustard. Place a slice of ham on each breast, then a roasted red pepper half. Fold in long sides of chicken and roll up jelly-roll style. Secure with wooden toothpicks.
In a large, heavy skillet brown the chicken rolls in hot oil on all sides over medium heat. Add chicken broth and wine. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes, or till chicken is tender and no pink remains. Remove chicken from skillet; keep warm.
Stir tomato paste and basil into skillet. Stir together cornstarch and water; stir into skillet. Cook and stir till thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1-2 minutes more.
To slice rouland, remove the cooked chicken rolls to a cutting board and cut across into spirals. Arrange the slices decoratively on a plate and drizzle with pan sauce. Egg noodles and steamed vegetables complete the meal.









Nutrition Facts
Makes 4 servingsFacts per Serving
Calories: 379
Fat: 9g
Carbohydrates: 8g
Cholesterol: 144mg
Sodium: 687mg
Protein: 59g
Fiber: 1g
% Cal. from Fat: 21%
% Cal. from Carbs: 8%

Sauerbraten

For the Marinade:
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped carrot
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped red or yellow bell pepper
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 lemon, cut and squeezed and dropped into marinade
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 to 3 parsley stems
Pinch of allspice
4 cloves
1/2 teaspoon crushed black peppercorns
6 juniper berries, crushed
3 bay leaves
1 tablespoon sugar
Equal parts red or white wine vinegar and water to cover meat and vegetables
3 to 3 1/2 pounds beef top round, brisket, or rump roast, tied up
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup chopped carrot
4 cups sliced onions
1 cup chopped celery
2 bay leaves
4 cloves
4 juniper berries, crushed
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Beef stock or water, if needed
1 cup finely ground gingersnaps
Place all the marinade ingredients into a glass bowl, add the meat, and cover and refrigerate for 3 to 5 days, turning the meat once each day.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Remove the meat from the marinade. Dry with paper towels. Strain the marinade and reserve the liquid. Discard the solids.
Heat the oil in a large oven-proof casserole. Add the meat and brown over medium heat until all surfaces are browned. Remove the meat to a plate.
Add the carrot, onions, celery, and a pinch of salt to the casserole pot. Sauté over medium heat until the onions are softened and beginning to brown. Add the bay leaves, cloves, and juniper berries and stir. Add the tomato paste and stir for 1 minute.
Put the meat back into the pot and add enough marinade to half cover the meat. Bring to a boil, cover, and place in the oven. Cook for 3 to 3-1/2 hours, turning the meat over 3 times, adding stock or water if needed to maintain liquid level. Remove the meat when it is fork tender. Set aside.
Strain the cooking juices. Remove the bay leaves and cloves. Puree the remaining solids in a food processor. Pour everything back into the casserole, heat over medium heat, and add the gingersnaps. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook slowly, until the gingersnaps are completely incorporated into the sauce, about 5 minutes. Slice the meat and serve with the sauce.




Nutrition Facts
Makes 10 servingsFacts per Serving
Calories: 301
Fat: 12g
Carbohydrates: 14g
Cholesterol: 78mg
Sodium: 138mg
Protein: 33g
Fiber: 3g
% Cal. from Fat: 36%
% Cal. from Carbs: 19%

For the Batter:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup beer
For the Sauce:
2 dried chipotle chili peppers, stemmed and seeded
1 ripe tomato, quartered
1/2 small yellow onion, sliced
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Peanut oil for deep-frying
All-purpose flour for dusting
1 1/4 lb rock shrimp or peeled white shrimp

FOR THE BATTER:In a bowl, combine the flour, cayenne, salt, sugar and baking powder. Stir to mix. Add the beer all at once and whisk until smooth. Set aside at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.

FOR THE DIPPING SAUCE:In a small saucepan, combine the chilies, tomato, onion, garlic, water and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer gently until the ingredients soften and the mixture thickens, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly, then transfer to a blender and purée until smooth. Pour the purée into a small bowl and stir in the honey and vinegar. Let cool.
In a large saucepan, pour in peanut oil to a depth of 5 inches and heat to 350 degrees F. or until a few drops of batter sprinkled into the oil rise immediately to the surface. Spread some flour in a shallow bowl and toss the shrimp in it to coat evenly, tapping off any excess. Drop the shrimp, a few at a time, into the batter. Using tongs or your fingers, remove the shrimp from the batter, draining off the excess, and drop into the hot oil. Deep-fry until light golden and crisp, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain.
Arrange the shrimp on a warmed platter and serve immediately with the dipping sauce.






Nutrition Facts
Serves 6Facts per Serving
Calories: 273
Fat: 4g
Carbohydrates: 34g
Cholesterol: 144mg
Sodium: 940mg
Protein: 22g
Fiber: 1g
% Cal. from Fat: 13%
% Cal. from Carbs: 50%

a special recipe for my friend in Germany

1 cup diced dried figs (about 10 figs)
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup apricot nectar
1/3 cup honey
Butter-flavored cooking spray
2 cups coarsely chopped sweet onion
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
4 ounces crumbled blue cheese
8 sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed
2 teaspoons powdered sugar



Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine first 4 ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, and cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 30 minutes.
Coat a medium nonstick skillet with cooking spray; place over medium-high heat until hot. Add onion and vinegar; cook 20 minutes or until deep golden, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in fig mixture and cheese. Set aside.
Place 1 phyllo sheet on work surface (cover remaining dough to keep from drying); lightly coat with cooking spray. Working with 1 phyllo sheet at a time, coat remaining 7 phyllo sheets with cooking spray, placing one on top of the other. Place a sheet of plastic wrap over phyllo, pressing gently to seal sheets together; discard plastic wrap.
Spoon onion mixture along 1 long edge of phyllo, leaving a 2-inch border. Fold over the short edges of phyllo to cover 2 inches of onion mixture on each end.
Starting at long edge with 2-inch border, roll up jelly-roll fashion. (Do not roll tightly, or strudel may split.) Place strudel, seam side down, on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Score diagonal slits into top of strudel using a sharp knife. Lightly spray strudel with cooking spray.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle powdered sugar over top. Serve warm.









Nutrition Facts
Yield: 8 servingsFacts per Serving
Calories: 272
Fat: 6g
Carbohydrates: 51g
Cholesterol: 11mg
Sodium: 296mg
Protein: 6g
Fiber: 5g
% Cal. from Fat: 20%
% Cal. from Carbs: 75%

Just a little about me

Hi everyone thank you for taking a look at this site this is my first attemp at one so I promise it will get batter as I go along.
I guess I should introduce myself My name is Chef Zeph I am a professional chef, I have been doing this since I was 14 and love every minute of it. I am now 27 and am on a sabaticale from being a chef for a while. On this site I will post alot of diffrent things like some recipes that I have made and some classics that I still prepare at home