Chicken/ Soup

Homemade Chicken Soup with Matzo Balls

On the menu tonight – Homemade Chicken Soup with Matzo Balls!

Who doesn’t love a bowl of hot chicken soup? In this version, it takes some time because I made the stock from scratch and then the soup. It takes some time but in the end it is SO GOOD!

When it’s getting cold outside, fire up the stove and make a big batch of homemade chicken soup!

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Homemade Chicken Soup with Matzo Balls

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Homemade Chicken Soup with Matzo Balls

Ingredients

Chicken Stock:
Bones from 1-2 chickens (when I get a rotisserie chicken, roast a chicken, I always save the bones in the freezer)
1-2 onions, quartered
1-2 carrots, quartered
2-3 Tbsp chicken powder / chicken bouillon
2-3 Tbsp dry dill
2-3 Tbsp parsley
2-3 garlic cloves, smashed
8-10 whole peppercorns
Enough water to cover the bones
Soup:
2 quarts of chicken stock
2-3 lb cooked shredded chicken (you could use chicken you used to make the stock, rotisserie, leftovers)
1 carrot, diced
1/2-1 small onion, finely diced
1-2 stalks celery, diced
4-6 sprigs dill, finely chopped
2-4 sprigs parsley, finely chopped
Matzo Balls:
1 1/4 cup matzo meal
2 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp granulated garlic
5 large eggs, 2 whole, 3 separated
1/4 cup melted chicken schmaltz or vegetable oil
1/4 cup minced onion
1/2 tsp dill, dry or finely chopped fresh

Instructions

Chicken Stock:

Pre-heat the oven (YES, the oven) to 350 degrees

Add the chicken bones, onion, and carrot to a large sheet pan

Roast for an hour

Transfer the ingredients from the sheet pan to a large stock pot (I used a 12 quart pot) along with the rest of the ingredients

Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer (lowest setting on your stove)

After about 30 minutes, skim any scum from the top with a spoon and repeat every 10-15 minutes for the first hour

In the second hour, check on the half hour for any add'l scum

Let it continue to simmer for at least 4 hrs, 6-8 hours is even better. (add some hot water if the bones aren't submerged)

Strain the stock to another pot, let cool, and put in the fridge overnight

Carefully scrape the schmaltz (chicken fat) from the top (consider saving this, it's a DELICIOUS fat to cook with)

Transfer to containers and put in the fridge or freezer. But for this recipe, put the pot back on the stove and bring to a simmer

Soup:

Bring the chicken stock to a simmer, add the vegetables, and herbs

Start making the matzo balls, see below

Simmer about 30 minutes

Add the matzo balls to the soup

Simmer an additional 25-30 minutes depending on the size of the matzo balls you made (make sure they are cooked through)

Add the shredded chicken and simmer another 3-5 minutes

Serve and enjoy!

Matzo Balls:

In a large bowl, combine the matzo meal, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and granulated garlic

In another bowl, whisk the 2 whole eggs and 3 egg yolks along with the chicken fat, onion, and dill

In yet another bowl, whisk the 3 egg whites with an electric mixer until you get stiff peaks

Stir the chicken fat mixture in with the dry ingredients, mix to combine

Gently fold in the egg whites thoroughly - no streaks

Cover the mixture with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 20 minutes (you can make these ahead of time)

Prepare a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray

Remove the matzo ball mix from the refrigerator

Using an small scooper, scoop out enough mixture for about a 1" ball (they puff up, so be careful how big you make them)

Repeat the scooping process until you have used all the mixture

October 14, 2023 By Patrick Dulmage

Chicken

Deviled Chicken

On the menu tonight, Deviled Chicken!

I was intrigued when I first read the title of this recipe. I kept thinking deviled eggs and there are some similarities, but it’s definitely its own thing. As you can imagine, with deviled in the name, it has some spice to it. Funny enough, I’ve made plenty of deviled eggs, but they don’t really have any heat to them. Maybe I’ve been doing it wrong all these years.

SO, the similarities with the deviled eggs include the Dijon mustard and paprika and those are the things I love about this dish. The chicken is marinated in a Dijon mustard mixture, a spicy mixture, coated with seasoned breadcrumbs (also with some spice) and Parmesan cheese, and then baked.

The next time you are making a chicken dish and want something a little different than your usual – try Deviled Chicken!

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Deviled Chicken

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Deviled Chicken

Ingredients

2.5 - 3 lbs Chicken thighs (bone-in, no skin)
1 cup Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp butter
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup chives, chopped
1/2 - 1 tsp cayenne pepper (make as hot or mild as you choose, 1/2 tsp cayenne wasn't very spicy at all to me)
1 1/2 cups panko
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp paprika
Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees

Add the butter and minced garlic to a large microwave-safe bowl and heat for about a minute

When the butter is completely melted, stir in the Dijon mustard and cayenne pepper

Coat the chicken with the Dijon mixture and set aside (let it marinade in this mixture up to 24 hrs if you want to make ahead)

In a baking dish, combine the Panko, finely grated Parmesan cheese, paprika, and chives, mix to combine

Roll the chicken pieces in the Panko mixture, fully coat and place on a baking sheet

Bake the chicken for about 50-60 minutes (internal temp should be about 160-165 degrees and the breading should be slightly browned)

Serve with the side(s) of your choice

Notes

You can make this as spicy or mild as you choose

October 8, 2023 By Patrick Dulmage

Beef/ Casserole

Shepherd’s Pie / Cottage Pie

This is really a Cottage Pie since I used ground beef instead of ground lamb. This is such an easy and comforting meal!

Most of the recipes I’ve seen don’t use cream of mushroom soup, but as I was looking at different recipes for inspiration I saw some that did and I decided to try it.

If you’re looking for a comforting and easy to make meal, this is it.

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Shepherd's Pie / Cottage Pie

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Shepherd's Pie / Cottage Pie

Ingredients

Filling:
2 lbs ground beef
1-2 Vidalia Onions, diced
2 carrots, sliced (for the thick ends, I'll cut them in to quarters. you want bite sized pieces)
1-2 cups peas (frozen is perfect for this dish)
2 cans Cream of Mushroom soup
3-4 garlic cloves, minced or finely chopped
1 Tbsp Rosemary
1 Tbsp Thyme
1 Tbsp Parsley
Mashed Potatoes:
4 Russet potatoes (approx 3 lbs)
4 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup of cream
1/4 cup of sour cream
1-2 cloves of minced garlic
1 Tbsp Parsley

Instructions

Mashed Potatoes:

Add the quartered potatoes to a large pot with enough water to cover the potatoes

Put the butter and minced garlic in a bowl, microwave until butter is melted, set aside

Bring to a boil, add about 2 Tbsp Kosher salt and cook until fork tender

Drain the potatoes, add back to the pot along with the parsley, melted butter and garlic

Stir in the sour cream, add the cream to get the consistency you want

Season with Kosher salt and pepper to taste, set aside

Filling:

Pre-heat a large skillet (at least 12") to med-high heat

Add the carrots and onions, cook about 7 minutes

Add the tomato paste and cook another 3 minutes until it turns to a brick-like color

Add the ground beef, peas, and minced garlic along with the herbs, cook about 10 minutes until the beef is browned

Add the cream of mushroom soup, stir to combine, cook another 3-5 minutes and cut the heat

Assemble the Pie:

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees

You can use any vessel you like to bake this. I used 13x9 baking dishes, but individual crocks would be a fantastic presentation

Add the filling to the baking dish and spread evenly

Spread a layer of the mashed potatoes over the filling and bake for 20 minutes

Pull from the oven and sprinkle the shredded cheese over the potatoes, return to the oven for another 10 minutes or broil until the cheese is melty and slightly browned

Sprinkle with parsley (freshly chopped is preferred) and serve

Notes

This makes a LOT of food, so if you're only cooking for 2-4 people you may want to cut the measurements in half. Otherwise, you'll have plenty to freeze or share.

October 7, 2023 By Patrick Dulmage

Beef

Copy Cat Big Mac Sliders

On the menu tonight – Copy Cat Big Mac Sliders! I rarely eat fast food anymore, but I recently saw a post on FB for these Copy Cat Big Mac sliders and they looked really good. There was also a post for Copy Cat White Castle sliders and those looked good too! The recipe I’m going to share is a combination of the two and it turned out pretty fantastic if I say so myself.

The great thing is that this comes together really quickly, there isn’t anything difficult in making these sliders, no exotic ingredients… just a good ‘ole slider that would be right at home during the week, at a party, game day… they’re delicious crowd-pleasers!

One of the really great things about these sliders is that they are made in the oven! So, it doesn’t matter what the weather is, you can make this meal.

The next time you are thinking about making burgers, I hope you’ll give these sliders a try!

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Copy Cat Big Mac Sliders

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By Patrick Dulmage – Serves: 3-6

Cooking Time: 25-30 minutes

Copy Cat Big Mac Sliders

Ingredients

2 lbs 80/20 ground beef (I like ground chuck
1 pkg slider buns (I used 6 buns for this recipe)
1 packet Lipton Soup mix or equivalent
1/2 finely diced Vidalia Onion
1/4 - 1/2 cup dehydrated onion / dried minced onion
2 Tsp Garlic powder
1/3 cup Thousand Island dressing or make your own (Ketchup, mayo, and relish)
Dill pickle slices, at least one per slider
1 cup Shredded lettuce
3-4 slices American cheese

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees

On a large sheet tray, spread out the ground beef

Season the ground beef with the Lipton Soup mix, pepper, onions (finely diced and dry), garlic powder, and gently mix (don't over mix)

Once the meat is thoroughly seasoned, form it in to a rectangle roughly the size of the slider buns but a little larger as the meat will shrink a little as it cooks.

Cover with tin foil and put in the pre-heated oven.

Set the timer for 15 minutes.

As the meat cooks, carefully cut the slider buns in half, but leave them all intact - don't separate them.

Spread the Thousand Island dressing on both the tops and bottoms and set aside.

Shred the lettuce

When the timer goes off, remove the tray from the oven, remove the foil, drain any fat, and return to the oven uncovered for another 15-20 minutes.

When the burgers are ready, add the American cheese and return to the oven for a few minutes to let the cheese melt.

Cut the rectangle in half (length-wise) so you have two rows of three sliders. This will make it easier to transfer to the buns.

Dab the hamburger with paper towels to avoid transferring a lot of grease to your burgers. I tilted the pan and drained the fat a second time, then dabbed the burgers with paper towels to get a lot of the excess grease off of them.

Transfer the burgers to the slider buns.

Top with pickles, lettuce, and the bun tops.

Serve with french fries or onion rings.

Notes

You'll note I don't have sesame seed buns. I don't feel that the sesame seeds add anything to the taste, texture... anything. If you like them, use sesame seed buns.

September 17, 2023 By Patrick Dulmage

Fish

Miso Glazed Black Cod with Couscous

On the menu tonight – Miso Glazed Black Cod with Couscous!

This is another one of those dinners that comes together very quickly. If your fish is already thawed, all you have to do is mix together a few ingredients for the glaze and pre-heat the oven.

While I baked this dish, I would recommend broiling it a few minutes first to get some color on the glaze and then bake it. I baked it at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. If I broiled it first, I would probably drop the bake time to about 8-10 minutes.

For the couscous, I took a supermarket shortcut with the bag of couscous you and microwave. From start to finish, this dinner only took about 30 minutes and it is WAY healthier than ordering something online. I hope the next time you aren’t sure what to have for dinner, you will try this dish!

July 17, 2023 By Patrick Dulmage

Beef

Sheet Pan Beef and Broccoli with Rice

On the menu tonight – Beef and Broccoli with Rice!

I’ve been trying, off and on for a while to make a Chinese food knock off that would satisfy my craving for Chinese food without having to order take-out. Sadly, most of those attempts haven’t been very successful – UNTIL NOW! This meal hits all the buttons AND it only took about 30 minutes to make from start to finish.

To save time, the meat was mostly cut to size. I had a package of beef tips and I just had to cut the pieces to bite size. The rice was the microwave bag types that is ready in 90 seconds. If you haven’t tried them, DO. They’re really good, especially for something like this. What’s left? The broccoli. I cut up the broccoli to bite-sized pieces and did a rough chop of the scallions.

There is a sauce, but all you have to do for that is mix the ingredients in a bowl and add your chopped ingredients to coat them before putting everything (minus the rice) on a sheet pan. After 15 minutes in the oven, take it out and cook the rice for 90 seconds. All you have to do next is plate it and eat it!

The next time you get cravings for Chinese food, consider making this Sheet pan Beef and Broccoli. It will be on the table quicker than take-out.

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Sheet Pan Beef and Broccoli with Rice

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Sheet Pan Beef and Broccoli with Rice

Ingredients

Sauce:
2 Tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp oyster sauce
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 Tbsp brown sugar (light or dark)
1 Tbsp sriracha sauce
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
Beef and Broccoli:
3/4 - 1 lb of sirloin steak, cut to bite-sized pieces (about 3/4 of a inch)
10-12 oz broccoli florets
3 scallions, cut in to 1-2" pieces (use the entire scallion, light and dark parts)
Cooked rice, for serving or 1 bag microwave rice (I used Jasmine rice)
Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Toasted sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees and position a rack in the upper third of the oven

Make the sauce: In a large bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, oyster sauce, canola oil, sesame oil, sriracha, brown sugar, red pepper flakes, and minced garlic

Add the steak, broccoli, and scallions to the bowl, then toss to coat all the ingredients

Spread the ingredients on a large sheet pan and spread everything in a single layer

Bake for 15-16 minutes until the steak is browned and the broccoli is al dente

Season with freshly cracked black pepper

Serve with the rice and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds

Notes

If you like a lot of sauce, you could double the amounts for the sauce recipe. Just be careful not to dump too much sauce on the sheet pan, as it will burn. Next time I will probably cut a Vidalia onion in half, then slice it and add to the mixture.

July 10, 2023 By Patrick Dulmage

Sauces

Chimichurri Sauce

Where has THIS been all my life?! YUM! I have seen countless TV shows where the chef/cook adds chimichurri sauce over steak or whatever. I always thought, I’d rather just taste the meat. Well, I finally gave in and figured I’d give it a try. WOW! Delicious! Now I see what I’ve been missing all these years.

There are a bunch of different ways you can make this and I don’t even begin to claim this is the best version of a chimichurri sauce. This is my first attempt at it and I am REALLY happy with the result. I put it on a grilled pork loin and grilled chicken.

I hope the next time you are grilling that you’ll give this sauce a chance – especially if you’ve never tried it.

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Chimichurri Sauce

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Chimichurri Sauce

Ingredients

2 cups fresh flat leaf parsley
1 cup fresh oregano
2-4 garlic cloves
3 limes, juiced
1/2 cup olive oil (use good quality extra virgin olive oil)
1-2 jalapeno peppers, seeded (or not if you want some heat)
Kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions

Give the parsley, oregano, and garlic cloves a rough chop and add to your food processor

add the lime juice to the food processor

add the salt and pepper to the food processor

pulse to start breaking down the greens

add the olive oil slowly as the greens break down

you'll likely have to stop and push down what splatters up on the sides of the processor

once it's blended nicely, stop and taste

adjust the seasoning as needed and then let it rest in the fridge while you make whatever you plan to put it on

July 4, 2023 By Patrick Dulmage

Seafood

Scallops Provencal over Pasta

On the menu tonight – Scallops Provencal over Pasta!

After having made seared scallops countless times, I wanted to do something a little different. I had plenty of white wine butter sauce left over from a recent dish and thought it would go perfectly with scallops and pasta. It DID!

For the pasta, I used buccatini. It was good, but it wasn’t the right noodle for this application. Somewhere, someone said that every pasta has a purpose. They were RIGHT! This dish, in my humble opinion, requires a more delicate pasta. Angel hair pasta or vermicelli would have been better choices and I’ll use one of those the next time I make this dish.

Similar to seared scallops, this dish goes together pretty quickly. The extra time is going to be spent making the sauce and making the pasta.

Despite my pasta choice, this dish STILL turned out really well. I hope you’ll make your own version and let me know how it goes!

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Scallops Provencal over Pasta

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By Patrick Dulmage – Serves: 4

Scallops Provencal over Pasta

Ingredients

1 lb Scallops, bay or sea
1 cup All-purpose flour, for dredging
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons butter, 1/2 stick
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 shallot, finely chopped
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 lb pasta, angel hair or vermicelli

Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil

If you haven't already, pat the scallops dry. If they are wet, you won't get a good sear.

In a 13x9 baking dish or a pie tin, put in the flour and season it with salt and pepper. Mix to combine.

Put the scallops in the flour and thoroughly coat. I put the scallops in a colander or strainer and shake off the excess flour. You just want a light coating of flour.

In a large pan, over high heat, put enough butter to coat the entire pan, but not so much the scallops would be swimming in butter.

Place the scallops in the pan one at a time, starting at the 12 o'clock position and going clockwise until you've added all the scallops. Leave at least a half inch between the scallops and feel free to put some in the center as well - just keep track of the order you put them in the pan because you only need to sear them about 90 seconds each side before they are done.

After all the scallops are in the pan, I'll wait about another minute and I start flipping them in the order I put them in the pan.

They should have a nice light brown sear.

Cook them on the other side for a minute to 90 seconds and then remove them.

Lower the heat to medium, if you haven't already, add the rest of the butter, shallots, garlic, and parsley, saute for 2-3 minutes, then add the wine.

Scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.

Drop the pasta in the boiling water and cook to pkg directions.

When the pasta is done, reserve a cup of the cooking liquid and then drain the pasta.

I add the pasta to the butter and wine sauce, and add the lemon zest and juice, mixing to coat all of the pasta with the lovely sauce. If you need some additional sauce or what you have isn't thick enough, you can add some of that reserved pasta water.

Plate some of the pasta and add scallops on top, then sprinkle a little of the chopped parsley. I'll also usually have some lemon wedges in case anyone wants extra lemon to sprinkle on top.

May 18, 2023 By Patrick Dulmage

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