Hot and Sour Soup

1 pack of sliced shiitake mushrooms

veggie oil

1” piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated

1 tbsp garlic chili paste

½ can bamboo shoots sliced

½ can water chestnuts

6 green onion rough cut

¼ lb smoked pork shredded

¼ c soy sauce

¼ c rice vinegar

1 tsp salt

pepper (white but black will do)

large pinch of sugar

2 quarts chicken stoke

1 square of firm tofu cut into ¼ inch strips

3 tbsp of cornstarch (mix ¼ c of the stock with this)

Garnish: green onions and cilantro leaves (raw)

Cook your mushrooms in the wok with some oil as the start to soften/cook  then add in the ginger, chili paste bamboo shoots, water chestnuts and pork. Maybe a min or 2. 

Combine the soy sauce, vinegar, salt, pepper, and sugar and add into the wok. When aromatic add in the stock, bring to boil and then simmer for 10 mins.  Add the tofu in and cook for another 4 min. 

Add the cornstarch mixture into the soup and let simmer until it starts to thicken.  Remove from the heat and stir in one direction.  SLOW pour in 1 beaten egg, I usually add some and then stir again then add the rest.  The egg will start to feather and will cook right away.   Bowl it and add in the cilantro and green onions thinly sliced. 

Make some wontons!!!

Baked Oatmeal on the GO!

Preheat oven: 350º

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 c apple sauces, no sugar added
• 1 banana, mashed
• 1/2 c honey (adjust up or down depending on your sweet tooth)
• 5 c, old fashioned rolled oats
• 1/4 c flaxseed meal
• 1 1/2 tbsp cinnamon
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 3/4 c milk
• Toppings: bag of trail mix 

Mix eggs, vanilla, applesauce, banana and honey together in a bowl.  Add in oats, flax, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and mix well.  Finally pour in milk and mix.  Use cupcake liners will make your life so much easier.  Top with your toppings you choice or not.  

Bake 30 minutes or until tooth pick comes out clean

Garlic Shrimp with Cannellini Beans

Ingredients:

• 4 Tbsp EVOO
• 5 garlic cloves minced 
• 2 dried chiles de árbol
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 1/4 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
• kosher salt and ground pepper
• 2 (15oz) cans of Cannellini Beans (or white beans)
• 1 cup of chicken broth
• 1 lb med shrimp, peeled
• 1 tsp of smoked paprika
• handful of flat-leaf parsley

Preheat broiler.  Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a large skittles over medium heat.  Add 3 garlic cloves, chiles, and bay leaf.  Stirring constantly, just until fragrant *do not burn garlic.  Add in tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.  Cook and smash the tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon, until tomatoes are completely broken down.

Add tomato past and cook, until paste is deep rad and caramelized.  Stir in beans, broth and parsley.  Bring to a brisk simmer and cook until juices are slightly reduced and thickened.

Combine remaining 2 garlic cloves, 2 Tbsp EVOO, paprika and shrimp in a medium bowl.  Scatter shrimp over the beans in an even layer.  Broil until shrimp are golden and cooked, about 4 minutes.  Serve with bread.

Black Bean Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp EVOO
• 1 red onion diced
• 5 cloves garlic minced
• 3 cups of Vegetable broth
• 3 (15 oz) cans of black beans rinsed
• 2 (12 oz) whole kernel corn
• 1 (14.5 oz) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1/2 tbsp smoked paprika
• Sour cream
• Cilantro leaves 

Dutch oven heat EVOO on medium heat add in garlic.  When aromatic add in the diced onion, stir until soften.  Add chili powder, cumin, and smoke paprika and stir for about a minute.  Add beans, corn, broth and tomatoes.  Bring to boil and reduce the heat to simmer for about 10 minutes.  Serve with a spoon full of sour cream and cilantro leaves. Tortilla chips go well with it too

Batali Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients:

• 1/4 c EVOO
• 2 1/2  lbs of Chuck (cut into 2" chunks)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 carrots (peeled and rough cut)
• 4 celery stalks (rough chop)
• 1 onion (chopped)
• 6 gloves garlic (minced)
• 2 c Cabernet Sauvignon
• 15 oz can peeled tomatoes (crush them by hand; include their juices)
• 1 c Chicken Stock
• 4 stems of Thyme (chopped)
• 1 (3") sprig of Rosemary chopped
• large pinch of Oregano dried
• 1/2 sour cream
• 1 bag of no yolk dumpling noodles

Preheat oven: 375º
Dutch over heat on high with EVOO until smoking.  Season the beef with salt and pepper, brown in pot and set aside.  Add carrots, onion, celery and garlic (garlic last so it doesn't burn).  Season the veggies and stir it around for about 4 minutes.  Add in the red wines, tomatoes with their juices, chicken stock and herbs.  Scrape the bottom of the pan to dislodge brown bits.  Bring mixture to a boil and return the beef to the pan.  Cover and place into the oven for 1 1/2 hours.  Have pasta ready drain completely.  Scoop a few ladlefuls of the gravy into the pan, 1/2 c of the sour cream and add in the pasta.  Ladle the rest into the pan and mix.  Plate and call it a day