food crush

 I believe anything fruitful begins with a solid foundation, and when preparing food, there’s certainly no exception. Though for many years, I never thought twice about cooking with a store bought carton of chicken stock. Then one day I had a need to use my own broth (I think my hubby had a nasty bug or something), and let me proclaim, that was the day when all of my faithful home recipes (like chili, spaghetti, ramen, shrimp creole, to name a few…) went from lukewarm to on fire! So when you’re ready to light your kitchen skills up a notch, make your own today. It’s easy, cozy, and totally worth your while! 💛 -Jess xoxo

Homemade chicken stock


makes 4 quarts or 1 gallon
INGREDIENTS:

1 whole or cut up chicken

4 quarts water

1 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar

4 medium sized onions, chopped in quarters, skins on

8 carrots, unpeeled & coarsely chopped

6 celery stalks, coarsely chopped

5-6 garlic cloves, skins on is fine here too

4 inches of coarsely chopped ginger(optional)

4-6 tablespoons extra virgin coconut oil or butter

4 tablespoons sea salt

1 bunch parsley


PREPARATION:

1) If using a whole chicken, remove and discard the fat glands and gizzards from the cavity.
Place chicken or chicken pieces and all other ingredients, except parsley, in a large stainless steel pot. Bring to a boil, and remove scum that rises to the top. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook  stock for 12-24 hours. ( I usually cook mine for about 18 hours. The longer you cook it, the more  rich and flavorful it will be!)

2) About five minutes before finishing the stock, add parsley. Remove from heat, and take the chicken out of pot. Set aside chicken to cool for now. Strain all the vegetables.

3)After the chicken has cool down, remove meat from the carcass, and reserve for other uses (like making chicken tacos, barbeque sandwiches, salads, or wraps).

4) Store broth in lidded glass jars in your refrigerator, or in quart sized plastic bags saved in the freezer for future use.

food crush

 Creating something beautiful and tidy for a crowd doesn't always mean spending hours prepping, cooking, and cleaning in the kitchen, especially when you whip up this lovely salmon recipe!

Oven-Roasted Parmesan Panko Crusted Salmon


serves 8
INGREDIENTS:

1 cup panko breadcrumbs

4 tablespoons butter, melted

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1/4 cup grated parmesan, plus a little extra for sprinkling on salmon

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 (3-4 pound) side of salmon, skin on

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt & pepper to taste

fresh lemon for serving

PREPARATION:

1) Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons melted butter, minced garlic, 1/4 cup grated parmesan, and 1/2 teaspoon salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside for now.

2)  Cover a large shallow roasting pan with aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil. Place salmon in pan skin side up at first. Liberally salt and pepper the skin. Flip over. Brush the other side with the rest of melted butter, and again liberally season with salt and pepper.

3) Now cover salmon with your bread crumb mixture. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes, chopped fresh dill, and extra parmesan. Roast in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until all but the very  center of fish has turned from translucent to opaque and your breads crumbs are nicely browned. Serve with lemon wedges!

cozy journey

Is it wine o'clock yet?....

                  
 It wasn’t that long ago when sipping on a cool, celebratory glass of wine (for a day well done and a tasty dinner in the making) was my much anticipated, late afternoon ritual. After all, I saw it as a well deserved treat that symbolized something synonymous with being cozy, and yes, more often than not, that seemingly luxurious libation did have that comfy effect on me! So naturally, my little habit of choice offered both the relaxation I craved and a loyal escape from life’s little madnesses.

 However, I’m not sure when one glass graduated to several by the end of most evenings or at what exact moment trying to relax felt impossible without it, though I do know it was no longer a leisure of choice, but more like an innate mode of survival.

 Ok, at this point you may be nodding your head in complete & compassionate understanding or (dare I say) be whispering something  more like “alcoholic” in your disapproving mind. I get it. Honestly I wasn’t sure how I felt about it anymore either. I mean, an end of the day tipple did feel like the perfect way to round out repetitive days of chores and mad kid rushed, homework filled, dinner making afternoons, but did I really need to depend on sipping vino everyday to feel snug at night?

 It took a minute(more like 6 years or so), but my heart and slowly expanding waistline yearned for an improvement. That was when I decided to give wine- free weeknights a shot. (scary, I know!) While the first three nights separated from vino in hand felt more like a shaky breakup, I did manage to pull myself together and press on. 

 Fast forward three and a half months. I’m now eight pounds lighter, my stomach is flatter, my face looks and feels more hydrated in the morning, and most noteworthily, I’ve rediscovered what it’s like to not feel deprived without my favorite five o’clock baby in hand. 

 Of course, I’m not saying indulging in a glass of red or white is bad for you or that it’s out of my life for good( I love wine!). I just know I had created an unhealthy habit for myself, which is why it was time to let go and learn to savor a new kind of bold, yet refined independence! 💛 -jess xoxo