Homemade Tortilla Chips

1 pkg soft tortillas (corn or flour), cut into wedges
Oil for frying (try corn oil)
Salt

Pour enough oil in a cast iron skillet to come about half-way up the pan. Heat the oil until it is about 350 degrees.
Carefully drop in the tortilla wedges and fry until they are crispy and golden brown.
Remove with a slotted spoon or tongs, drain on a wire rack over a paper towel. Season with salt immediately.
Serve with you favorite salsa and enjoy!

*I am a big fan of tortilla chips, but I am NOT a big fan of paying close to $5.00 for a bag that ends up being only half-full of them. I discovered I could make my own by accident. I was trying to make empanadas, and it just wasn't working out, so I just threw in the tortillas by themselves. Turns out they were better than any chip I could ever get from the store! I also make my own salsa (recipe coming soon!), and these go great with that. I hope you try it yourself at home and love it as much as I do.
(If you are a fan of those chips that have a "hint of lime," squeeze a little fresh lime juice over the chips before you salt them.)

For nothing is impossible with God. Luke 1:37

Aubrey's Best Chicken Soup

(Makes about 4 1/2 quarts)
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
3 carrots, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 shallot, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
4 quarts chicken stock (homemade is best)
About 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
1 bay leaf
1/2 box pasta (any shape: macaroni, orzo, ditalini, linguine, whatever!)
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 small bunch fresh parsley, chopped fine

In a large stockpot, melt the butter with the olive oil over medium heat. Toss in the carrots, celery and shallot and season with salt. Sweat the vegetables until they just start to get soft, and shallot is translucent. Toss in the garlic and cook for another minute.
Slowly pour in the chicken stock. Cover, and heat until stock comes to a boil, stirring occasionally. Once it is boiling, add in the pasta and boil until pasta is soft - about 10 minutes.
Add in chicken, salt and pepper to taste, and cook for another minute or two. Turn off the heat and toss in the fresh parsley. Add more salt if needed.
(Don't forget to take out the bay leaf - or leave it in, and whoever gets it in their bowl has to do the dishes!)

*If there was one thing I could cook for the rest of my life, it would be soup. I love to make soup. The great part is that you can pretty much do anything you want with soup - from savory to sweet. Plus, making soup is so easy, you will never want to buy soup from a can anymore. That's why I like to make a huge pot like this and then freeze the leftovers to have soup anytime! Get the kids involved too by letting them help you put in all the different ingredients. Or, let them stir the soup once in a while. Making soup is a great way to get kids helping out in the kitchen!

Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Proverbs 30:5

Green Beans with Bacon

1 bag of frozen, whole green beans, thawed
About 4 strips of bacon, diced (the thicker the slices, the better)
Salt & Pepper to taste

In a large skillet, fry the bacon until crispy. Remove from skillet with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel. Set aside.
In the same pan that you fried the bacon in, leaving about 1 tsp of the bacon fat in the pan, toss in green beans and saute until cooked - being careful not to over-cook, or else they will get mushy!
(Don't turn off the heat yet!) Add the bacon back in with the green beans. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine.
Serve immediately.
(Makes 3-4 side dishes)

*Unless you are a vegetarian, you will probably agree with me when I say, "bacon makes everything better!" This side dish is a great (and easy) addition to any meal. I like to serve it during the holidays because it kind of livens up an otherwise bland vegetable side dish. Don't like bacon, or trying to be more health conscious? Try using turkey bacon, or even fried tofu! This dish also works well with peas or broccoli instead of green beans. Yay bacon!

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 1 Peter 1:3

Shredded Chicken BBQ Sandwiches

2 whole carrots, cut into big pieces
2 celery stalks, cut into big pieces
2 shallots, cut in half - skin on
2 cloves of garlic, skinned, but not chopped
4 chicken pieces, bone-in
2 chicken bouillon cubes
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
4 cups water
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BBQ Sauce
Buns
Cheese (optional)
Coleslaw (optional)

Place everything except the last 4 items in a slow cooker. Make sure the water covers everything, if not, add a little more. Put the lid on and set it for 4 hours.
When the slow cooker completes the cooking, remove the chicken pieces and shred them with a fork (or better yet, with your hands - let it cool a little first!) into a large bowl. Toss the shredded chicken with BBQ Sauce to coat (add as much as you like).
Scoop the chicken onto a bun, top with cheese and/or coleslaw, and enjoy!

*I LOVE this dish. I mean, I LOVE it! Not only is it super tasty, but requires very little effort. Set it in the afternoon and it's ready by dinner-time. I like to use a spicier BBQ sauce and top it with coleslaw to cool it down and add a nice crunch.
The best part of this dish? It makes it's own chicken broth to be used later for soup! You know, if that's what you're into.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. Colossians 3:23 & 24

Eggplant Parmesan

This recipe comes from another one of my favorite TV Chefs Mario Batali - however, it is modified slightly to accommodate tomato allergies, and also has provolone cheese instead of mozzarella. Please note the temperature changes in the oven during the cooking process!

1 large eggplant, sliced into thin discs
1 1/4 cup bechamel sauce (recipe follows)
1 bunch of fresh basil, chopped
4 slices of provolone cheese
Grated parmesan cheese
About 1/4 cup toasted breadcrumbs
Salt and pepper to taste

For the Bechamel Sauce:
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp AP flour
1 1/4 cups whole milk
Salt, pepper and nutmeg, to taste

Melt the butter in a small saucepan and whisk in the flour for about 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste. Slowly whisk in the milk and stir over medium-low heat until sauce has thickened. Season with salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg.
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Spread the eggplant slices in one layer over a baking dish brushed with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Bake at 450 degrees for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
In a 9x12 glass baking dish, take the 4 largest slices of eggplant and space them out evenly in the dish. Cover with about 2 tbsp sauce, a pinch of the basil, 1 slice of provolone cheese, and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Repeat with the smaller slices, until you have built 4 little stacks of eggplant. Cover the tops with sauce and cheese. Sprinkle the toasted breadcrumbs over the top and drizzle a little bit of olive oil over the top. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes at 350 degrees or until cheese is melted and golden brown on top.
Serve hot or room temperature.

*I confess, I am not a huge fan of eggplant, but this recipe is a winner. It is a modern twist on a classic, and it is just as tasty, if not more. Since the eggplant is not fried, the dish is not as "heavy" as with traditional eggplant parm. This is a great vegetarian dish as well. We got the eggplant from a roadside vegetable stand out in Lambertville, NJ. Trust me on this, buying fruits and vegetables from farmer's markets is the best idea. Not only is it cheap, but it is much better quality. And of course, it's Jersey fresh!

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1

Blueberry Muffins

*This is actually TV Chef/Host Alton Brown's recipe, but it's so darn good, I wanted to share it with you all!

2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
Heavy pinch salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 cup yogurt
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
Vegetable spray, for the muffin tins

Preheat oven to 380 degrees F.
In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and set aside.
In another large bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil, egg and yogurt. Add the dry ingredients reserving 1 tablespoon of the dry ingredients and toss with the blueberries. Stir mixture for a count of 10. Add 1 cup blueberries to mixture and stir 3 more times. Reserve the 1/2 cup of blueberries.
Using a #20 ice cream scoop, add the mixture to greased muffin pans. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of berries on top of muffins and press down lightly. Place into the oven and increase the temperature to 400 degrees. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pan halfway through. Remove from oven and turn out, upside down on tea towel to cool completely. Serve immediately or store in airtight container for 2 to 3 days.

*There is a short window of time in Jersey when the blueberries are cheap. When that time period rolls around, I stock up. Evan LOVES blueberry anything - pie, muffins, streudel, even blueberry wine! I buy lots, and then freeze them. I like to surprise Evan with a blueberry pie in the winter.
Jersey blueberries are great - plump, juicy and oh-so-tasty. The yogurt in this recipe make the muffins moist and tender. I ramped up the blueberry flavor by using blueberry yogurt (the fruit on the bottom kind). The batter will look lumpy when you stir it, but trust me, it works. I also added can sugar to the top of the muffins to add a little crunch and sweetness, and to make them look pretty :)

Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. Proverbs 16:24

Jersey Fresh Tip #2

THE KNIVES MAKE THE CHEF

Having a good set of knives is crucial, say it with me, crucial to being a skilled professional in the kitchen. I'm not talking about those things you use to butter your bread with, I'm talking about knives you use to prep food with.
There are 5 knives that are extremely important to have in your arsenal of cooking utensils, and a few others that I consider good to have, but optional. In no particular order, they are:

#1 - The Chef's Knife.
The chef's knife comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. Personally, I prefer the shorter 8-inch variety as my hands are small and it is easier for me to work with. Use the chef's knife for just about anything--trimming up meat, chopping veggies, mincing onions, garlic, herbs, etc. You get the idea. This is your "all-purpose knife."

#2 - The Santoku Knife.
The Santoku is a version of a chef's knife, but if you notice, the tip is not pointy, it curves down. I LOVE this knife because it is very easy to handle and is generally more controllable than a chef's knife. You can use a Santoku for just about anything that you use a chef's knife for - it's really all about your preference.

#3 - The Paring Knife.
A versatile little knife that can be used for cutting fruits and veggies, and other small jobs. You can also use this to (carefully!) peel skin from fruit and veggies.

#4 - The Bread Knife.
This knife should have a nice serrated edge for easily slicing through bread and other tough foods. I have two sizes, one 8-inch and one 6-inch for different size jobs. Smaller bread knives are also good for slicing delicate tomatoes.

#5 - The Steak Knife.
Exactly what it sounds like. This knife resembles a bread knife in that it should be sturdy and have a serrated edge. Great for slicing through any cut of meat.

OPTIONAL KNIVES TO HAVE
#6 - The Boning Knife.
This is mostly used for taking bones out of fish. Unless you work with whole fish a LOT, this knife isn't really necessary. If you do have one though, the blade should be sharp and flexible. Go with one of the higher-end brands.

#7 - The Vegetable Chopper.
One of my personal favorites, but is optional if you already have a chef's knife or Santoku knife. This knife does not have a point, should be REALLY sharp, and has a rectangular blade. Used for quickly chopping through vegetables with ease.

#8 - The Meat Cleaver.
Unless you like to butcher your own meat, this knife is fun and intimdating, but ultimately not necessary in a home kitchen.

As you might expect, it is a good idea to keep your knives as sharp as possible. You can sharpen them yourself, or take them to a professional to be sharpened. Sharp knives make for fast, easy work. As always, be careful when handling knives of any shape and size (I have been victim to many a cut in the kitchen). It's always best to spend a little extra on the better brands of knives because they are better quality. Quality equals durability and longevity. If you're replacing knives often, you probably aren't buying a good brand.
Lastly, don't be scared to use knives in the kitchen! I would much rather use a knife for something than have to lug out my food processor and have to clean that whole thing later. Start slow, and before you know it, you'll be a chopping and dicing pro!

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper that any double-edged sword. Hebrews 4:12a