1. Rinse the chicken and place on paper towels. Pat dry. (I uses boneless, skinless thighs as they are always tender.)

2. Sprinkle rub on thighs. Place on in a ziplock plastic bag, rubbed side down, sprinkle rub on the bare side, and repeat this until done.

3. Zipper the bag and give it a shake until all the pieces are coated. Place in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours.
4. Heat grill, cook chicken til done.

Parsley Chicken

6 chicken thighs
Olive oil
1 onion
3 cloves garlic
1 can Italian seasoned tomatoes
fresh parsely
salt & pepper

Saute the onion and garlic in 3 tbsp. olive oil. Add chicken thighs (remove skin for less fat) and brown. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 1 hour.  Add the chopped fresh parsely and cook for an addtional 10 minutes. Serve over the pasta of your choice.

The cold weather is here, sniffles are being heard, and soup making time is upon us. Nothing soothes a cold or warms the body as a nice cup of homemade soup. (Well, I guess I could think of a few things that would do the same trick but they might not be as healthy.) Sprinkled with parmesan or shredded cheese adds to the flavor of the soup.  I love homemade soup served with fresh homemade bread, warm with butter. If baking bread isn’t possible there are many bakeries that sell incredibly delicious breads. So when that cold wind is blowing and the snow is falling, stay home and cook up a pot of one of these delicious soups!

Chicken Soup

1 small fryer chicken, skin removed

2 large carrots

1 large onion

4 cloves garlic

2 stalks celery

fresh parsley

sea salt

freshly ground pepper

can of Italian herb diced tomatoes

Place chicken in 6 cups of water, bring to a boil. Simmer til tender. Remove chicken from broth and remove bones. Place cut up chicken, diced carrots, onion, garlic, celery, parsely, salt, pepper, and tomatoes in broth. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and continue simmering for at least 3 hours.

Cook 1 cup orzo pasta (or pasta of choice) til the al dente stage. Drain, rinse. Remove soup from heat and add pasta. (It will continue to cook but will not over cook.)

Italian Soup

1 carrot

1 stalk celery

1 onion

4 cloves garlic

½ lb. ground beef or turkey

4 cups stock

1 can tomatoes

2 tsp. hot chili powder

salt & pepper

1 can of kidney beans (or beans of choice)

2 cups al dente cooked orzo, rice, or pasta of choice

Dice carrot, celery, onion, garlic and sauté in 1 tbsp. oil. Add ground meat and cook for a couple minutes. Add tomatoes, chili powder, broth, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1 hour. Add beans. Simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and add cooked pasta or rice. Let sit for a few minutes til pasta gets tender. Enjoy!!!

Butternut Bisque

1 tsp. margarine or butter

1 large chopped onion

4 cups cut up butternut

4 cups chicken stock

½ tsp. nutmeg

½ tsp. white pepper

Melt margarine in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cook til tender. Add squash and 2 cups chicken broth; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 20 minutes or until squash is very tender.

Put squash mixture, in small batches, in food processor until smooth. Return soup to saucepan; add remaining broth, nutmeg and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes.

Fish Chowder

1 cup water

1 cup diced potatoes

3 slices of bacon

1 onion

1 lb. fish fillets (clams may be substituted)

¼ tsp. thyme

1 cup half&half

salt/pepper

fresh parsley

Boil water in a large pan. Add potatoes, cover, and cook for 10 minutes. Fry bacon, (not crisp), add onion and cook until onion is soft and bacon is browned. Do not drain. Add this to the potatoes along with fish fillets and the thyme. Simmer until potatoes are tender. Add half & half, salt, pepper and simmer for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley.

Chicken Cacciatore

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped green bell pepper

3 medium cloves garlic minced

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 cans Italian herb tomatoes

2 teaspoons leaf oregano, crumbled

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper, or to taste

2 lbs. boneless, skinless, chicken thighs (these are the most tender when cooked)

3/4 cup dry red wine (optional)

2 medium zucchinis

1/2 lb. sliced mushrooms

linguine

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Brown chicken on all sides in hot oil, about 10 minutes. Remove chicken and drain off excess grease, leaving a tablespoon or two. Add chopped onion, green pepper, mushrooms, and minced garlic to hot skillet; sauté until onion is tender. Stir in tomatoes, zucchini, wine, oregano, salt, and pepper. Add chicken back to sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 45 minutes, or until chicken is tender. Discard bay leaf and serve with hot cooked spaghetti or other pasta.
Chicken cacciatore recipe serves 6.

Chicken Piccata

6 to 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1/2 cup flour

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon paprika, or to taste

3 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup chicken broth or water

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

6 to 8 thin slices of lemon

3 tablespoons capers (optional)

linguine

In a shallow bowl, combine flour, salt, pepper and paprika; coat chicken thighs well.

Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet. Sauté chicken thighs in batches, about 3 minutes on each side. Drain off all but 2 tablespoons of fat. Stir in chicken broth, scraping to loosen browned bits. Add lemon juice and heat through. Return chicken to the skillet with the lemon slices; heat until sauce thickens. Add capers, if using. Serve with your favorite pasta.