Category Archives: Savory

Chicken Noodle Soup

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Chicken Noodle SoupJust about everybody has a Chicken Noodle Soup recipe in their arsenal. It’s the classic American cure-all. No matter if it’s your grandma’s recipe or if it comes out of a can, it’s guaranteed to comfort and bring you back to life a little bit.

I had a little cold this weekend. It wasn’t bad enough to warrant going to the doctor or calling in sick, but it did mean I needed Chicken Noodle Soup. I dragged myself out of bed and into some yoga pants and a sweatshirt, and less than two hours later, I was tucking into a big bowl of homemade soup and binge-watching The Mindy Project. I’m not going to say that this soup cured me, but I will say that I woke up the next day feeling much more like myself.

Chicken Noodle SoupMy Chicken Noodle Soup starts with bone-in skin-on chicken. The soup pictured was made with chicken thighs, but white meat works too, if that’s what you like. The chicken is simmered in store-bought stock until cooked through, about 40 minutes. Then, the chicken is removed to cool and carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and herbs go into the pot to simmer for 30 minutes. A little dijon mustard is added for depth, but you can skip it if it’s not your thing.

While the vegetables are cooking, the chicken should cool enough for you to handle it. Discard the skin and tear the meat into bite-sizes pieces. Put the chicken and any large bones back in the pot to simmer for another half hour. Then remove the bones and stir in some peas, parsley, and black pepper. Let that cook for five more minutes before ladling it over egg noodles and digging in to a warm, filling, nutritious meal.

Chicken Noodle SoupThis soup is delicious, y’all. The broth is rich from the combination of bone-in chicken and store-bought stock, and the chicken and vegetables are full of protein and nutrients. Where the noodles in many recipes become overly soft from being submerged in the stock for an extended period, the noodles in my recipe are cooked separately and stay al dente. This also means that the soup will keep well for days. The flavors meld over time; it’s even better on day three than it is on day one!Chicken Noodle Soup

Chicken Noodle Soup
makes 6-8 servings

2 pounds bone-in skin-on chicken pieces (white, dark, or both)
8 cups low-sodium chicken stock (I like Better than Bouillon)
2 cups carrots, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks
2 cups celery, washed and cut into bite-sized chunks
1 large white onion, diced (about 2 cups total)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
1 tablespoon prepared Dijon mustard
2 cups frozen sweet peas (optional)
1/2 cup Italian parsley, chopped
1/4-1/2 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt, optional
1 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
12 ounces egg noodles, prepared according to package directions

Combine chicken pieces and stock in a large soup pot over high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Allow pot to simmer 35-40 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken pieces to a plate to cool.

Add carrots, celery, onion, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and mustard to the stock. Cover pot again and allow to simmer 30 minutes.

Let chicken cool until you can handle it. Discard skin and reserve any larger bones. Tear chicken into bite-sizes pieces. Add chicken and bones back to the pot and simmer for an additional 30 minutes.

Remove chicken bones from soup. Stir in peas, parsley, salt, and pepper. Cook an additional 5 minutes before removing soup from heat.

To serve, place 1/2-1 cup of noodles in the bottom of each bowl. Ladle in the warm soup. Enjoy!

Soup and noodles will keep in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Buffalo Chicken Biscuits

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Buffalo Chicken BiscuitsGrowing up in Texas, I was surrounded by football. On Friday nights, we went to high school football games. Saturdays were reserved for watching the TCU and UT games, and Sundays were for church and the Dallas Cowboys. My parents were (and are) both very into it, but I’ve just never understood the appeal.

It’s not that I don’t like sports. I love baseball (I can’t wait for the playoffs!) and have been known to enjoy watching PGA golf. Yes, I watch golf–I blame my dad. But football just doesn’t do it for me. Total snoozefest. But I will come over to your house and watch the game anyway because I love game day food. If there are chips and guacamole, artichoke dip, or Double Chocolate Fritos Cookies, I will probably show up. If you are serving wings, I will be there for the pre-game show and stay through the post-game show because I love buffalo chicken almost as much as I love breathing.

Buffalo Chicken BiscuitsToday, I’m bringing you my new favorite game day snack: Buffalo Chicken Biscuits. Soft cream biscuits sandwiched with shredded buffalo chicken and homemade blue cheese dressing. Y’all, these are insanely good.

They’re also super simple to throw together. Start by making the world’s easiest scratch biscuits. There’s no chilling, rolling, or fancy folding here. Nope. These biscuits are as simple as stirring heavy cream into dry ingredients. Press the dough into a 9×13″ pan and score it so that there are sixteen little rectangles. Brush the biscuits with a little more cream and bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden.

Buffalo Chicken BiscuitsShred some cooked boneless skinless chicken breasts, and toss them with some homemade buffalo sauce. If you didn’t know already, buffalo sauce is just a combination of Frank’s Red Hot and butter. Melt them together and voila!

Next, make some blue cheese dressing. Sure, you could use your favorite bottled variety, but the homemade stuff is so much better and so easy, it’s ridiculous. Stir together mayonnaise and sour cream. Then, stir in some blue cheese crumbles. That’s it! You could definitely use this on salads, but you may want to thin it with a tablespoon or two of milk.

Buffalo Chicken BiscuitsBuffalo Chicken BiscuitsBuffalo Chicken BiscuitsNow, to assemble. Remove the biscuits from the pan and slice them in half. Place the shredded buffalo chicken on half of the sliced biscuits, and spread the blue cheese dressing on the rest. Sandwich them together and serve with carrots, celery, and more blue cheese!

Buffalo Chicken Biscuits will be a hit at your next game day get-together. Between the soft, tender biscuits, the spicy, tangy chicken, and the blue cheese, everyone will want this recipe. This combination is also a favorite of mine for easy weeknight meals. Serve a couple of these little biscuit sandwiches (or put the good stuff on some hamburger buns) and make a salad, and your whole family will be happy 😊Buffalo Chicken Biscuits

Buffalo Chicken Biscuits
biscuit recipe from Dinner with Julie
makes 16 small sandwiches

Cream Biscuits:
3 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
2 cups heavy cream, cold, + extra for brushing

Shredded Buffalo Chicken:
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 tablespoons butter
1/2-2/3 cup Frank’s Red Hot Cayenne Pepper Sauce

Blue Cheese Dressing:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream

3/4 cup blue cheese crumbles

For Serving:
carrot sticks
celery sticks
blue cheese dressing

Make the cream biscuits. Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a 9×13-inch pan with foil and grease lightly. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Pour in heavy cream, and use a silicone spatula or wooden spoon to stir everything together. The dough should be a little shaggy, but come together after a few kneads with clean hands. Transfer dough to the prepared pan and press it into one even layer. Use a chef’s knife (not serrated) to score it into 16 rectangles. Brush with additional heavy cream. Bake 15-20 minutes, until golden and cooked through. Place the pan on a rack and allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before removing from the pan.

Cook the chicken. Place chicken in a pot or high-sided pan. Pour in cold tap water until the chicken is covered by one inch. Place pan over medium-high heat. Bring it to a simmer and let cook for 25-30 minutes, until cooked through. Remove chicken from water and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Use two forks to shred the chicken.

To make the buffalo sauce, combine butter and Frank’s Red Hot in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring frequently, until butter is melted. Pour sauce over shredded chicken and toss with the shredded chicken. Set aside until ready to use.

Make the blue cheese dressing. In a small bowl, stir together mayonnaise and sour cream. Stir in blue cheese crumbles. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Assemble the sandwiches. Slice each biscuit in half. Top one half with about two tablespoons of buffalo chicken. Spread the other half of each biscuit with blue cheese dressing. Put sandwiches together. Serve sandwiches immediately with carrots, celery, and additional blue cheese dressing, if desired.

Buffalo Chicken Biscuits

Parmesan & Prosciutto Scones

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Parmesan & Prosciutto SconesLet me start off by saying thank you for the enthusiastic reaction to On Weight Loss & Eating Habits. It was far beyond my wildest expectations! Thanks to all who liked, shared, commented, and gave feedback. That post is now far-and-away the most popular on this site.

And now, let’s talk about scones. I love a good scone. Soft, buttery centers and crunchy, nubbly edges? Sign me up.

Parmesan & Prosciutto SconesThere are already three scone recipes on this site: a Blackberry Lime recipe that would be a great way to use all those delicious summer berries, a Salted Grapefruit variety that’s perfect for fall and winter, and a Gingerbread version that you should definitely plan to make over the holidays. But today, I’m delving into the savory side of things with these fantastic Parmesan & Prosciutto Scones.

This recipe is inspired by some scones I had at Darwin’s, a small chain of coffee shops in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Two weeks ago, when my parents and I were helping my little sister move into her new apartment, one of my jobs was to keep everyone caffeinated. I popped into Darwin’s many times for large iced coffees and sustenance. Aside from trying many of their breakfast sandwiches (all fantastic, by the way), on the morning that we went insane and decided to paint my sister’s room, I picked up three Parmesan & Prosciutto scones. Cheesy and full of salty prosciutto, they were just what we needed to keep us from collapsing.

Parmesan & Prosciutto SconesParmesan & Prosciutto SconesBut, being a baker, I had to nitpick. The scones were certainly good, but far too salty. They needed a little sweetness to balance out all of the cheese and ham. I decided right then and there that I would make them myself with a few adjustments, and two weeks later, here they are.

Parmesan & Prosciutto SconesParmesan & Prosciutto SconesAnd oh, are they ever good. They’re super buttery, full of Parmesan and bits of salty prosciutto, and have a little bite from freshly ground black pepper. A couple of tablespoons of honey round out the flavor, keeping everything savory, but not too salty. These scones are just right.

My Parmesan & Prosciutto Scones are better than those that inspired them, if I do say so myself. They’re perfect for a weekend breakfast, or topping with thick slices of tomato for the best tomato sandwich of your life.Parmesan & Prosciutto SconesParmesan & Prosciutto SconesParmesan & Prosciutto Scones
makes 8 scones

2/3 cup whole milk + more for brushing, very cold
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon prepared Dijon mustard
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
1 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
4-ounces prosciutto, sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, very cold, cut into pieces

For Topping:
3 tablespoons whole milk
1/2 teaspoon honey
1/4 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for after baking (optional)

Preheat oven to 425F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.

Make the scones. Pour whole milk into a measuring cup. Whisk in honey and mustard. Chill while you prepare the other ingredients.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and black pepper. Stir in Parmesan cheese and prosciutto, using your fingers to separate any pieces that are stuck together. Use a pastry blender to cut in cold butter until the largest pieces are the size of small peas. Stir in milk mixture with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms.
Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Use your fingertips to shape dough into a 1-inch thick circle. Slice into eight wedges with a large chef’s knife. Remove cut scones to prepared baking sheet.

Top the scones. In a small bowl, whisk together milk and honey. Brush the mixture over the tops of the cut scones. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake scones for 13-15 minutes, moving the pan from the top to the bottom rack at the 7 minute mark. Sprinkle scones with more cheese after baking, if desired. Let scones cool on the pan for ten minutes before serving.

Scones are best the day they are made, but will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.

Pineapple Salsa Fresca

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Nine years ago today, I moved to New York. I was 22 years old, fresh out of college, and convinced that as soon as I got to my first Manhattan apartment, my life would really begin. I was starting film school, and my biggest dream was to be the first woman to win the Oscar for Best Director. Clearly, that did not happen (shout out to Kathryn Bigelow!), but a lot of other things did.

I’m pretty sure New York City is the only place in the world where people celebrate the anniversary of their moving date. It’s hard to live anywhere, but New York is a special case. The crowds, the noise, the cost of living, the constant need to compete professionally–nothing is easy here. In the last nine years, I have:

  • lived in eight apartments.
  • moved from Manhattan to Brooklyn. Then back to Manhattan. Then back to Brooklyn.
  • had twelve jobs in five different fields.
  • realized that I enjoy cooking far more than I ever enjoyed film production.
  • learned to bake in the tiniest kitchen ever.
  • abandoned my filmmaking dreams in the name of butter and sugar.
  • met some of the most incredible people on earth.
  • fallen in love. And fallen out of love.
  • had really high highs and horrifically low lows.
  • survived.

 The life I have is not what I envisioned nine years ago (or anything close to it), but today, I am living the life I want. I live in a beautiful apartment in a safe neighborhood with good people. I work as a personal chef for a very nice family. I have an unbelievable support system, without whom I’m not sure I would have accomplished anything. I have a lot of goodness, generosity, spontaneity, and love in my life. Every once in a while, I dream of moving somewhere else–Austin, Chicago, Maine–but then I realize that moving would mean leaving everything I’ve accomplished in New York, all the people I’ve met, and all of the opportunities I might have here in the future. And so, I stay. New York, I’m not done with you yet.

But as they say, “You can take the girl out of Texas, but you can’t take the Texas out of the girl.” As much as I couldn’t wait to move out of Fort Worth nine years ago, growing up in Texas has molded my identity in ways I will never be able to shake. My whole family lives there (until E3 moves to Boston next week!), as do most of my closest friends, so as much as I love New York, a lot of my heart is in the Lone Star State.

Another thing I’ll never be able to shake? My deep, abiding love of Tex-Mex. It’s one thing New York can’t ever seem to do right–I get my fix by making homemade versions of my favorite dishes. My recipe index already has my red and green salsas and my favorite guacamole, in addition to a fantastic posole and an easy southwestern chicken soup. I have big plans to put a couple of enchilada recipes on here when the weather cools down a little, but it’s hot today, so I’m keeping it simple with this Pineapple Salsa Fresca.

   This recipe is a sweeter, tangier twist on traditional pico de gallo. Fresh pineapple is used instead of tomatoes! Combined with red onion, a serrano pepper, a little garlic, chopped cilantro, lime juice, and salt, it’s a match made in heaven! Everything comes together on the cutting board in about ten minutes–no need for a food processor. Let it sit at room temperature for an hour to let the flavors meld a bit, and then dig in with your favorite tortilla chips!

Pineapple Salsa Fresca is a magical combination of flavors: sweet, tangy, spicy, and a little salty. The chunky, slightly crunchy texture is perfect with crispy tortilla chips! This salsa would also be great with grilled fish or shrimp. Oooh! Or pork tacos!

Yes. Even after nine years in New York, I’m definitely still Texan at heart.

 Pineapple Salsa Fresca
makes about 3 cups

3 cups fresh pineapple (about 1 pound), 1/2-inch dice
1/2 small red onion, 1/4-inch dice
1/2-1 serrano pepper,* minced, seeded (optional)
1 small clove of garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
juice of one lime
1/4 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
tortilla chips, for serving

Combine pineapple, onion, serrano, garlic, cilantro, lime, and salt in a medium-large mixing bowl. Use a silicone spatula or wooden spoon to toss all ingredients together. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let salsa sit at room temperature for one hour so the flavors can meld. Serve with tortilla chips.

Leftover salsa will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to two days.

Note:

Jalapeño may be used instead of serrano pepper. You may want two jalapeños, depending on your spice preferences.

Pineapple Salsa Fresca

Basil Pesto

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When I was growing up, my parents insisted on family dinners nearly every night of the week, no matter how late E3 and I got finished with our extracurricular activities. As we got older, dance and piano practices went later and later, meaning dinner was often pushed to after 9pm, but as soon as everyone was home, we’d all sit down and catch up over a home-cooked meal. Those thirty minutes of family time every night are some of my favorite memories of my childhood, and not just because of all the joking that went on around our round kitchen table. My mom made dinner most nights. She is a good cook, although she doesn’t enjoy it the way I do. With rare exception, everything she put on the table was fantastic. Chicken divan, smothered pork chops, and corned beef were guaranteed hits with everyone, but my favorite was one of the few vegetarian meals she made: pasta with pesto, tomatoes and Parmesan. I just loved the combination of pasta, basil pesto, sweet tomatoes, and cheese. It wasn’t anything revolutionary, but it was delicious, and my mom made it often because she knew how I loved it.As I said, my mom is a good cook. But she isn’t always a scratch cook. She makes most things fresh, but when it comes to sauces, she usually goes for a jar. That pesto I loved so much is mass-produced. I continued to buy it into adulthood, not even imagining that I could make my own until I was well into my twenties. When I bought myself a food processor six years ago, pesto was one of the first things I made. I quickly ditched the storebought variety, and have been hooked on the homemade stuff ever since.Homemade Basil Pesto is delightfully quick and easy, and has a much brighter and more intense basil flavor than anything you’ll find in the grocery store. Start by putting two cups of fresh basil leaves, 1/3 cup each of pine nuts and Parmesan cheese, and two cloves of minced garlic into a food processor. You could certainly use whole garlic cloves, but I find that mincing them ahead of time guarantees that the final product won’t have any large pieces it it. I love pesto, but I don’t love biting into big chunks of raw garlic!While processing the basil, pine nuts, Parmesan, and garlic, stream in a combination of olive oil and lemon juice. The olive oil is what makes the pesto saucy and rich, and the lemon adds just a touch of brightness and acidity. As the liquid ingredients whirl with the basil, pine nuts, cheese, and garlic, a thick, bright green sauce will form. All that’s left to do is blitz in some salt and pepper!

Basil Pesto is great just about anywhere you can think to use it. Try it as a sauce for pizza, serve it over grilled chicken, spread it onto a halved loaf of bread and crisp it in the oven. Seriously, this stuff is good on everything. My favorite way to eat pesto is the same as it’s always been: tossed with pasta, topped with tomatoes, and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.

Basil Pesto
makes about 1 cup

1/2 cup olive oil
juice of 1/2-1 medium lemon (to taste)
2 cups basil leaves, packed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup pine nuts (or toasted walnuts or sunflower seeds)
1/3 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

For Pesto Pasta:
1 lb small pasta, cooked to al dente, drained
1/2 cup reserved pasta cooking liquid
1 pint grape tomatoes, sliced in half
freshly-grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

In a measuring cup, combine olive oil and juice of 1/2 lemon.

Combine basil, garlic, pine nuts, and Parmesan cheese in the bowl of a food processor or high-powered blender. While processing, stream olive oil-lemon mixture through the food processor’s feed tube. Process until a thick, bright green sauce forms. Add salt and pepper and process until well-distributed. Add more lemon juice, if desired. Store pesto in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

To make pesto pasta, combine pasta and pesto in a large pot and fold them together with a large spoon. Add 2 tablespoons of the pasta cooking liquid and fold again. Add more cooking liquid by the tablespoon, until the desired consistency has been reached. Serve pasta in bowls. Top with halved grape tomatoes and additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.