This is my favorite homemade pho recipe and it’s from Jaden Hair’s Steamy Kitchen. Jaden writes, It’s no secret that good Pho broth requires a gazillion hours of simmering time. Time that I just don’t have. Tony, a boyfriend from a lifetime ago, told me his Dad used to simmer giant vats of pho broth overnight for his little pho restaurant in Houston. So, one day, I thought it would be really genius to do the same. Dump a bunch of beefy, tendony, knuckley, marrowey bones into the largest stockpot that I have and let it simmer away while I slept.

It didn’t quite work out as I had intended:   Continue reading →

So today I slow cooked 2 smoked turkey legs in the electric skillet at about 200 degrees for 3 hours until they fell off the bone. I cooled the cooked liquid and put it in a large metal bowl in the refrigerator to let the fat rise to the top. I skimmed the top layer of fat off and cooked collard greens in the defatted liquid for an hour until tender, then added the smoked turkey meat I removed from the bones. I remember my family just throwing collard greens right in the same water with all the fat and while it had good flavor that’s way too greasy for me these days. I like a splash of vinegar and a little hot sauce.

RELATED: How to heat up Smoked “Fully Cooked” Turkey Drumsticks

This stew works best with chicken thighs (more fat adds more flavor) but you can use chicken breast if you prefer to keep it leaner.  This stew has high flavor.  When I make it with chicken thighs, I make it a day ahead of time, so I can refrigerate overnight and let any fat rise to the top so I can skim it off.    Continue reading →

This stew works best with a firm white fish, such as halibut or cod. You could also use red snapper or tilapia. Stay away from delicate fish such as sole for this stew, or oily fish such as tuna. If you like, you can add shrimp, clams and/or scallops to the stew as well. I carmelize the onions before I add the tomatoes. Before adding the fish, I let the sauce simmer about 30 minutes to blend flavors. This stew has high flavor.   Continue reading →

I like a hearty brown stew when the weather turns cool. That used to mean pot roasts and beef stews but these days I enjoy lighter fare.  The secret to this dish is letting roasted veggies and herbs cook down into a thick gravy, then add fresh chopped veggies the last 10 minutes — I like cooked veggies to have a light crunch.  Earlier I’d roasted some veggies, so I added a cup each of roasted carrots and celery and onions to a 2 quart saucepan, then added two 1-quart cartons of low sodium chicken broth. I chopped 2 large russet potatoes very finely diced, and 16 oz of white mushrooms.  I added a teaspoon each of turmeric, salt, pepper, garlic powder, dried basil, dried tarragon, crushed fennel seeds, paprika and 1 tbsp fresh chopped rosemary and chili powder. I added 2 dried bay leaves, left the pot slightly uncovered and brought it to a simmer for 40 minutes.    Continue reading →

When I made the meatballs for yesterday’s Low Fat Semi-Homemade Turkey Meatball Veggie Soup, I didn’t follow the recipe and added a shake of red pepper flakes as well as too much jerk seasoning. It made them a little too hot and a little too herby. I knew I could add potato and mushroom to the soup to draw some of the flavor out of the meatballs, and I could season the soup only lightly, since it would draw spice from the meatballs. It was so easy and turned out so well I wanted to share it with you.   Continue reading →

From merely hot to incendiary, this Caribbean jerk seasoning gets its kick from a blend of ingredients such as cayenne, thyme, cinnamon, garlic, and nutmeg. Sprinkle on meat or vegetables. This Jamaican Jerk Seasoning Blend is from myrecipes.com

Combine and store in airtight container
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 to 3 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons dried parsley
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

I love Indian and Greek food, and a yogurt sauce on the side adds a cooling element and balances the flavors. The Tzatziki is an easy dressing for Greek salads and omelets, also a nice dipping sauce for veggies. Combine ingredients in food processor or blender to desired consistency. Chill at least an hour before serving. Blend These Ingredients:
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I eat this soup when my tummy is upset. You can make a spicier version of this by doubling the dried herbs & spices.

INGREDIENTS:
1 tsp olive oil
2 medium onions
4 small organic carrots
2 large stalks of celery
1 package of fresh asparagus
32 oz fat free chicken broth
3 bay leaves
1 tsp sea salt
Dried basil, cumin, oregano, black pepper, 2 shakes each   Continue reading →