Balkan White Bean Soup

 

Balkan White Bean Soup

1 can white beans
1 can butter beans
1 can sliced carrots
1 can turnip greens
1 yellow onion chopped 
4 garlic cloves minced
1 tablespoon olive oil to sauté onions and garlic
1 summer sausage cut into bite sized pieces or sausage of your choice
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon thyme powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash salt substitute
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
4 cups broth or water

I used cans of what I had on hand to make this soup. Sauté onions and garlic till fragrant. Add summer sausage pieces. Add spices and blooms them. Add water or stock. Bring to a boil then add cans of beans and vegetables. Cook till well melded about half an hour. Serve with crusty bread. Yummy.

Cilantro Chimichurri Chicken Thighs

 

Cilantro Chimichurri Chicken Thighs

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken
1/2 onion, red or yellow, chopped
3 garlic cloves minced
8 small tomatillos, chopped
1/2 bunch cilantro fresh and chopped
salt and pepper to taste for chicken and chimichurri
1/2 teaspoon more or less cayenne powder
olive oil for blending chimichurri

Bake chicken till just done, check with meat thermometer. Add remaining ingredients except cilantro to a pan and cook till well blended. Last add cilantro to wilt. Blend in blender till desired consistency adding olive oil to get it all moving. Serve with carb of your choice. We had wilted romaine with anchovies. There was chimichurri sauce left over for another meal. Was delightful and fresh.

Never Again Crayfish

Never Again Crayfish

3 pounds of crayfish per person
1 lemon cut into wedges and squeezed into cooking water
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

In a large stock pot add water (enough to cover all the crayfish. Then add lemon wedges and spices and bring to a rolling boil. Stir till spices are blended. Add crayfish and boil for three minutes, drain and let cool slightly. Now comes the not-so-fun part. Twist tail off and remove the top shell segment and remove the tail section. Not worth all the effort and not enough to feed a bird. There I said it.

Stuffed Poblano Peppers

Stuffed Poblano Peppers

6-8 poblano peppers, blistered and seeded
1 can black beans, drained and washed
1 cup cooked rice
1 can corn kernels, drained
1 jar of red enchilada sauce or homemade enchilada sauce
2-3 cups grated mozzarella cheese
1 onion chopped fine
3 garlic cloves sliced
5 cherry tomatoes, chopped in half
6 tomatillos chopped in eighths
2 tablespoons olive oil to sauté four ingredients above
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon ground chili pepper
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
salt and pepper to taste

Bake poblano peppers in 450 F oven for 1/2 hour to blister skins. Place hot peppers in a bowl covered with saran wrap for 1/2 hour. When cool enough to handle, cut poblano peppers in half and remove seeds. Meanwhile sauté onions, garlic,, tomatoes, and tomatillos in olive oil. Add spices to sauté mixture and 1/2 cup water. Add in beans, rice, and corn. Stuff pepper halves with sauté mixture. Place stuffed peppers on bed of red enchilada sauce. Sprinkle cheese over the whole mixture. Bake in 9 x 12 glass baking dish, covered, and bake at 350 F oven for 45 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving. There are many variations you can use to stuff the peppers, be creative. So delicious every time.