Tortellini Soup With Spinach

I love this insanely easy and quick soup recipe. There are a multitude of variations out on there and it begs for experimentation. Start here then make it your own.  I prefer dried tortellini but refrigerated (fresh) can also work. You can double the amount of Parmesan (use Reggiano if possible,  the good stuff) but cut back on salt or amount of chicken base. Pull any large stems off the spinach.
Music selection: Big Night Soundtrack  "The knowledge of God is the bread of angels." -Primo

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, minced
Salt and pepper
1 garlic clove, minced or run through a garlic press
6 cups chicken broth or 4 tsp chicken base w/ 6 cups water heated in microwave
1 tablespoon soy sauce
6 ounces cheese tortellini
3 ounces (3 cups) baby spinach
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (1/2 cup)

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add broth and soy sauce and bring to boil over high heat. Stir in pasta and cook until al dente. Off heat, stir in spinach and Parmesan. Buon appetito!

Shrimp With White Bean Stew

Not sure why I haven't added this before. Make it all the time for weekday dinner. Fast and easy. I like using Better than Bouillon for the clam juice/fish stock ingredient. Easy to keep on hand and relatively inexpensive. It can be hard to find. Thinking of trying Minor's fish stock base from Amazon.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
3 cups cooked cannellini beans, drained and rinsed if canned
One 14-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, drained and crushed
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 cups clam broth or fish stock (I use clam base from better than bouillon)
1 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions
Heat oil in a dutch oven.
Saute onion and garlic for about 5 minutes.
Add cannellini beans, tomatoes, salt, rosemary and pepper.
Add clam broth and bring everything to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes.
Add shrimp and simmer till just done, about 2 minutes.
Add chopped parsley when you serve in bowl.

Dry Vermouth for Summer Sipping

The first good dry vermouth I tasted was Dolin Dry Vermouth. With a healthy squeeze of lemon wedge into a smallish tumbler on the rocks it was just what the doctor ordered for a hot summer day. At around 17% alcohol, it drinks like a potent wine. You will want to refrigerate this and all vermouth once opened. They oxidize like wine.
Another dry vermouth worth mentioning is Imbue Bittersweet Vermouth from Oregon. It is pretty wonderful, though a tad spendy. You can go with Martini or Noilly Prat to dip your toe in the pond.

So go on, give it a try. "Be Somebody!". 

Best Damn Grilled Chicken Wings

These wings are great and simple. Brine, dust, and grill. That's it. Smart Chicken produces good wings already separated drummies from wings which saves some time. Cooks country recipe was my starting point. It helps if you know in advance where to set your grill's burners to achieve a steady 350 degree temp. For appetizers, figure about 1/4 pound per person (5-6 pieces for hungry folks). I've seen some eat 1/2 pound. If spiciness is a concern, omit the cayenne pepper.
Music choice: Dixie Chicken by Little Feat.

Ingredients
2 lb wings (separated and tips discarded if not already separated)
1/2 cup salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp corn starch
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Directions

1. Make a brine by dissolving the salt into 2 quarts of cold water. Prick the skin of the wings and drummies (through the middle of the wings is easiest) and drop into the brine. Place the bowl with brine and wings into refrigerator for 30 minutes.
2. While the chicken is brining, make your dust (dry rub). Mix the remaining ingredients into a small bowl. Omit the cayenne if heat is a concern. 
3. Remove the brined chicken and strain out the brine. Place chicken onto a sheet pan lined with a clean dish towel. Cover with paper towels and blot dry. Start gas grill and turn all burners to high. Clean as needed. Coat grate with oil if desired. 
4. Rinse and dry out brining bowl and return dried chicken. Add the dust and toss till covered. Do this right before you put them on the grill.  
5. Place chicken skin side up onto grill and lower lid. Adjust burners to maintain 350 degrees. 
6. After 15 minutes, check that they have some char on the bottom and turn all pieces over. Close lid and grill for an additional 10 minutes. 
7. Remove pieces from grill and set aside. You can cover with some foil for about 10 minutes to let the cool and settle down a bit. 
8. Serve with celery sticks and your preferred creamy dressing. 

Pot Roast with Vegetables (Pressure Cooker)

I recently acquired a pressure cooker. Looking for something relatively simple I went with Pot Roast as my first effort. Turned out very well in my opinion.

Ingredients

• 2 to 3 pound beef chuck roast, patted dry with paper towels
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon beef base such as Better than Bouillon dissolved in 2 cups of water. 
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon minced or pressed garlic
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 6-10 red skin potatoes scrubbed and halved (or quartered depending on size)
• 1 yellow onion, peeled and quartered
• 2 cups baby carrots
• 4 ribs celery, cut into 1 inch lengths
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons of water
• 1-2 tablespoons butter

Directions

1. Season roast with salt and pepper, then sprinkle with flour.
2. Add oil to cooker and heat to almost smoking over high heat.
3. Lower temp to medium and brown roast on both sides.
4. Once browned add beef broth, vinegar, thyme, bay leaves, and pepper.
5. Cover, bring to pressure and cook for 75 minutes or 85 minutes if the roast is thicker than 2.5 inches.
6. Perform quick pressure release and add the vegetables. Cover, bring to pressure, and cook for 5-7 minutes.
7. Off heat for 10 minutes or until cooker looses enough pressure to open safely. Do a quick release to be safe.
8. Transfer all solids from the cooker to a platter, and discard about 1/4 cup of the liquid. Raise heat to medium high. 
9. Whisk in corn starch and stir until thickened (2-3 minutes).
10. Whisk in the butter to finish the sauce. .
11. Serve and pass the gravy. 

Next up.. Corned Beef and Cabbage with Root Vegetables

Potato, Cabbage, and Chorizo Soup

Found this in the Wall Street Journal. I modified it just a bit and I like it. Short prep and cook time.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 6 or 7 ounces Spanish chorizo, sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 pounds (Yukon) Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
• 1/2 medium green cabbage, cored, halved (so two quarters) and thinly sliced
• Salt and pepper
• 8 cups water
• 2-3 teaspoons Better than Bouillon Roasted Chicken or Low Sodium Chicken base

Directions

1. Heat oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add chorizo and cook till lightly browned about 5 minutes.  Add onions, garlic and bay leaves and sweat until softened and chorizo colors the onions, about 7 minutes. 
2. Add potatoes and sauté until beginning to soften on the outside, about 5 minutes. Add cabbage and season with salt and pepper.
3. Pour in enough water to just cover vegetables. Add the bouillon base, stir, and increase heat to high. Once stock comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium-high and simmer until potatoes are fork-tender but not mushy, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Lavender Margarita (Tequila Sour)

I recently had a Lavender Margarita at Sovereign Kitchen and Bar. They make it with lavender infused tequila, agave honey, lime, salted rim served on the rocks. Was very good. I wanted to recreate this at home, but did not want to invest time or money into lavender infused tequila...enter lavender infused simple syrup. I'm very happy with the results and encourage anyone interested to try this.

Lavender Simple Syrup

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp lavender buds (usually in baking section or with spices)

1. Heat water to boiling in a small saucepan.
2. Add sugar and lavender. Stir till sugar dissolves and bubbles form on bottom of pan,
3. Off heat, cover and let steep for about 10 minutes.
4. Strain into container and store in refrigerator. I like squeeze bottles with caps. 

Lavender Margarita

• 2 oz blanco tequila
• 1/2 oz fresh lime juice
• 1/2 oz lavender simple syrup
• Kosher salt

1. Add all ingredients to a shaker filled with ice. 
2. Rim your glass with the spent lime and dip in Kosher salt.
3. Shake till your hands are almost frozen.
4. Strain into a cocktail or rocks glass.  If using rocks glass, pour ice from shaker into glass till "full".

Enjoy responsibly.