Avocado Oil Buffalo Ranch Dressing

 ~from the kitchen of my beautiful wife~

Ingredients:

1 cup avocado oil
1/3 cup medium buffalo sauce (my favorite is Primal Kitchen Oriiginal Buffalo Sauce)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1-1/2 tablespoon dried dill
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried oregano

Directions:  

In a quart-size, wide-mouth Mason jar, add all the ingredients. Put the top on the jar and shake vigorously. Pour over your favorite salad. Store in the refridgerator up to 1 month.

Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

~from the kitchen of my beautiful wife~
Serves 8

Ingredients:
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
5 garlic cloves, rough chopped (or sub 1 tablespoon granulated garlic)
1-2 cups carrots, diced
1 cup celery, diced
1 x 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes, and juices (preferably fire roasted) or 1-1/2 cups diced tomatoes
1 small can 4 ounce can, mild green chilies (or sub 1 poblano chili, diced)
1 lbs. chicken thighs (boneless, skinless, fresh or frozen) left whole (or breasts - see cooking notes)
1 cup dry black beans or sub 1-2 cans black beans, or sub corn-see notes (do not use dry beans with chicken breast as breasts will over cook)
4 cups chicken stock or broth (or water with 4 chicken bouillon cubes)
2 cups water
2 teaspoons salt, more to taste
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
juice from 1-2 limes 
optional: for a smoky heat, add a little chipotle (either the adobo sauce from canned chipotles, or a little ground chipotle powder to taste)

Directions:  

Set the Instant pot to the Saute function.  Saute onions (if using granulated garlic, add later with the spices) in the oil for 3-4 minutes while you prep the garlic, carrots and celery.  Add them to the pot, and saute 3-4 minutes.  

Add the diced tomato, green chillies, chicken thighs (whole), dry black beans (or canned, drained), chicken stock, water, salt and the spices.  Give a good stir, and set the Instant pot to pressure cook on high.  If using dry black beans, pressure cook 22 minutes.  If using canned black beans, pressure cook 14 minutes (same for either fresh or frozen thighs).  Manually let pressure out.

Shred chicken thighs with two forks.  The soup will thicken. (At this point you could add corn, and return to saute setting for a few minutes.). Squeeze with a generous amount of lime juice and taste for salt, adding more if necessary - especially if you used dry beans, you will need to add more.  You want a good balance between lime and salt.  (If soup tastes bland, it probably needs more of each.)

Top with tortilla strips, cheese, sour cream, scallions or avocado and cilantro.  Add hot sauce for added heat. 

Rotisserie Chicken and Potato Chowder

~from the kitchen of my beautiful wife~
Serves 4

Ingredients:
4 slices bacon, chopped
1 tablespoon, unsalted butter
1 leek (white and light green parts), halved and sliced
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
4 cups chicken stock
3/4 lbs. red potatoes cut into 1/2-inch chunks
6 sprigs thyme
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
Sliced fresh chives, for serving

Directions:  

Cook bacon in a large pot over medium heat until browned and crisp, 7 to 8 minutes; transfer to a paper towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon.  Reserve pot. 

Add butter and leek to reserved pot.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 3 to 4 minutes.  Add garlic and fennel.  Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute.  Add flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute.  Slowly whisk in milk and then stock.  Add potatoes and thyme.  Season with salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until potatoes are tender, 14 to 16 minutes.  

Add chicken and corn.  Cook until soup is heated through, 1 to 2 minutes.  Discard thyme.  Serve topped with crispy bacon and chives.  

Grandma Hannah's Swedish Meatballs

~from the kitchen of my loving grandmother~
Serves 8

Ingredients for Meatballs:
1-1/2 lbs. ground round
1/2 lb ground pork
1 medium onion - chopped very, very fine
1/1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon allspice
pinch of nutmeg
1 cup bread crumbs
1 egg - beaten with a fork

Directions:  

Mix all together well.  Form into small balls and brown in pan.  I roll about ten or so and then brown.  Remove from pan and put on plate nearby, and then brown another batch.  When all have been browned, return all to your skillet and add a bit of water, about 1/2 cup and mix all the drippings well into it.  Cover and continue to simmer for about 30 minutes, which checking often to stir and just to see how they are doing.  Then make up gravy by adding a mixture of flour and water to skillet and the meatballs right there, to make a nice consistency.  The more gravy the better, as you will need for potatoes which grandma always served with the meatballs.  I generally taste the gravy and re-season with salt and pepper if necessary.  Grandma just cut up nice potatoes into chunks and boiled in another pan until done.  Then when serving meatballs, just spoon lots of gravy onto both the meatballs and potatoes.

Reverse Seared Smoked Pork Chops

Direct and indirect Grilling
Serves 6

Ingredients:

8 pork chops with bone-in (the thicker ones are better)
1 quart apple juice (or water if you don't have any)
1/4 cup salt (preferably kosher or better yet canning salt)
2 cloves garlic, minced (or 1-1/2 tablespoons of pre-minced garlic)
10 turns of black pepper
1 teaspoon of white pepper (optional)
Your favorite BBQ rub (I typically use this rub but without the salt)
Your favorite BBQ sauce (optional)

Brining Directions:

Trim off any excess fat from the pork chops, but not all of it. The fat adds a lot of flavor.  In a gallon ziplock bag add the juice/water and salt and then seal the bag.  Shake vigorously until salt dissolved.  Then add garlic, pepper and pork chops.  Re-seal and place bag in refrigerator for at least 2 hours but no more than 12 hours.  After 12 hours it can start to cure the meat and it will be more like ham.

Seasoning and Grilling:

There's nothing to this.  Pat the chops dry with paper towels and coat ONE side of the pork chops with the rub.  No need to add salt.  The pork chops are essentially salted from the brine so all they need is the rub.

Setup your grill for indirect grilling with the heat/charcoal all on one side.  On the side without the heat, lay down your pork chops with seasoned side down and apply more rub on the top.  Throw on a chunk of your favorite wood.  I prefer apple or pecan. Cook them for about 1/2 hour but check the temperature of the meat regularly.  Once they hit about 115-120F, you're going to want to sear them.

Transfer the chops to the hot side of the grill over the flames/charcoal. Cook them enough to put some grill marks on both sides.  At this point they are essentially done except if you want to sauce them.  If you want the sauce, add that on both sides and move the chops back to the side of the grill off the heat.  If you want more smoky flavor, add another chunk of wood at this point.  Wait until the sauce is bubbly and caramelized.  When the chops reach an internal temperature between 135 and 150, pull them from the grill to serve.

Baked Honey Sesame Chicken

~From my amazing sister, T~
Serves 6

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut in strips
1 white onion, cut into bite size pieces
1 cup cornstarch
3 eggs
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup canola oil

Sauce: 

3/4 cup honey
3/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon cornstarch
sesame seeds
1 chopped green onion for garnish

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Cut chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and season with salt and pepper.

In separate bowls, place cornstarch and slightly beaten eggs.  Dip chicken into cornstarch then coat in egg mixture.  

Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and saute red bell pepper and onion until onion is translucent. Add chicken and cook until browned.  Place the chicken and vegetables in a 9 x 13 greased baking dish. 

In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, minced garlic, and 1 tablespoon cornstarch.  Pour over chicken, sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake for 45 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.  If you want, stir the chicken every 15 minutes so that it is coated in the sauce.

Serve with your favorite rice and garnish with the green onion.

Potato (Stone City) Hash Browns

~from the kitchen of my loving mom~
Serves 8

Ingredients for Hash Browns:

2 lb package Hash Browns (partially thawed and broken apart)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1-1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Ingredients for Topping:

1-1/2 cups finely crushed corn flakes
1/2 cup melted butter

Directions:

Mix together Hash Brown ingredients and spread in slightly buttered or oiled 9" x 11" oven pan.  

On the side, mix the Topping ingredients and then spread on the top of the Hash Browns.

Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees F.