Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

I found this recipe on the Good Life Eats blog. Believe it or not, it was a delicious soup to enjoy on a hot summer day. Try it for yourself - I like this one BETTER than the one Panera offers on their menu.

INGREDIENTS:

For The Chicken:
1 lb. chicken - boneless, skinless breasts
1 stalk celery, cut into thirds
half of lemon sliced
handful of fresh parsley
1/4 t. each, salt and pepper
2 bay leaves
3 sprigs thyme
1 cup water
1/2 cup chicken broth (I added more to cover chicken)

For The Soup:
1 onion, dices
2 cloves garlic
1/3 cup white wine
3 carrots, sliced into rounds
6 cups chicken broth
1/2 - 3/4 cup orzo pasta, uncooked
3 egg yolks
2 - 3 T. fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
2 T. fresh parsley, minced
1 1/4 t. fresh thyme
2 - 3 large handfuls of fresh baby spinach, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

For the chicken:
Combine all the ingredients in a medium pan. Bring to a boil and simmer until chicken is cooked. Remove from heat. Remove chicken to a plate and set aside. Shred with a fork when cool. Toss remaining ingredients. (the original recipe called for using a pressure cooker. See their website for all the directions if you choose to use one.)

For the soup:
Add 1 T. of olive oil in a large dutch oven. Saute the onion over medium-high heat until golden and tender. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute more.

Add the white wine and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the broth and carrots. Bring to a boil. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks and lemon together. Add 1 cup of hot broth from the dutch oven very slowly to the egg yolk mixture, whisking as you pour. Then, transfer the mixture to the dutch oven, Stir in the orzo and chicken.

Continue cooking over medium-low until the pasta and carrots are tender. Just before serving, season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the thyme, parsley, and spinach. Serve immediately

Serve with hot fresh bread, or a handful of oyster crackers. ENJOY!

posted by Debi Walter

New York Strip Roast

This can be expensive, but for special occasions it's worth it!

Difficulty: Easy
Preparation: 3.25 hours (including marinating for 3 hours)
Cook Time: 2 hours
Rating: 5 stars!!!

Source: Epicurious

INGREDIENTS:

4 garlic cloves
8 fresh sage leaves
4 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
4 teaspoons olive oil
4 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper

1 4- to 5-pound boneless beef loin New York strip roast, fat trimmed to 1/4 inch

DIRECTIONS:


With machine running, drop garlic into processor; blend until finely chopped. Add sage, thyme, oil, salt and pepper; process until paste forms.

Pat meat dry with paper towels. Rub meat all over with herb paste. Cover; chill at least 3 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.)

Preheat oven to 450°F. Place meat, fat side up, on rack in roasting pan. Roast meat 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Roast meat until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of meat registers 130°F for medium-rare, about 35 minutes (or 140°F for medium, about 40 minutes). Remove from oven; let stand 20 minutes. Cut crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices. Arrange slices on platter.

Posted by Debi