There is nothing quite like a hot, soothing bowl of homemade chicken soup, especially when your sick or when the weather starts getting cold. I am sure many of us have fond memories of Mom or Grandma fixing up a hot bowl of chicken soup when we were younger. Remember how comforting it was and how good it made you feel? I sure do and I look forward to making chicken soup at least once a month during the cold days of winter. I am going to share with you one of the most delicious recipes for chicken soup, passed down to me from my Grandmother. It is quite easy to make and I promise you will enjoy this again and again…

I rarely follow exact measurements while cooking, so the ingredients below are approximated. Please forgive me in advance..

INGREDIENTS

2 Large Chicken Breasts on the Bone, Skin on

3 Large Celery Stalks Sliced (Reserve Leaves)

3 Large Carrots Sliced

1 Medium Onion Chopped

3 Cloves of Garlic Crushed

2 Medium Russet Potatoes Cubed

1 Cup of Small Pasta for Soup (Orzo, Ditalini)

Water

Chicken Stock

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Grated Italian Cheese (Optional)

Bouquet garni of Thyme, Sage and Rosemary (Instructions Below)

DIRECTIONS

Step 1 - Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add the chicken breasts skin side down and brown.

Step 2 - Add water and chicken stock to the pot. Add a 50/50 mixture of water and chicken stock. The chicken stock gives the soup a boost in flavor. Add enough liquid so that the chicken is completely submerged, plus a little more.

Step 3 - Add celery leaves, garlic and Bouquet Garni (instructions follow). Bring liquid to a boil, then cover and simmer. Cook chicken on a low simmer until you can easily pull the chicken off the bone. One chicken is done, remove it from the pot and place it on a large plate. Remove the garlic and bouquet from pot and discard.

Bouquet Garni Instructions/Description

A bouquet Garni is just a fancy French name for a bundle of herbs that can be added to stocks, soups and stews. When translated to English it means: “garnished bouquet”. It is very easy to make. You can either tie the bundle together using strings or you can wrap it in cheesecloth. I like to use the cheesecloth as it keeps the herbs contained so that they do not fall off and become part of the soup. If you don’t mind the herbs in the final soup, you can wrap it with string. This bundle of herbs will impart a deliciously rich flavor to the broth.

Step 4 - Add the onion, potatoes, celery and carrots to the pot. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender.

Step 5 - Add your pasta and cook along with vegetables until pasta is al dente.

Step 6 - While the pasta is cooking, pull chicken from the bone and shred into bite size pieces. Add the chicken to the pot and stir.

Step 7 - Serve. Top with grated cheese if desired. Enjoy!

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Cooking filet mignon can be a nerve wracking experience for any home chef. People become so frightened when it comes to grilling filet mignon. It is after all a very expensive cut of meat and if you don’t know what you are doing, you could easily ruin it. But really folks, it isn’t rocket science. The trick to cooking the perfect filet mignon is to not overdo it. It really doesn’t need to grill that long at all. There is nothing worse than an overcooked steak.

Step 1 - Seasoning

The first step is to season your filet. It doesn’t take much. Just a little salt and pepper. Some chefs recommend that you do not add salt until after the steak is done as it can dry the steak out. I don’t like to take any chances, so I choose to salt the steak after it comes off the grill. I recommend using a coarse salt like kosher. After you season the filet mignon, just leave it out on the counter and allow it to come to room temperature, about 45 minutes or so.

Step 2 - Heat the Grill

While your filet is coming to room temperature, preheat your grill. The best way to cook a tender steak like filet mignon is searing it by direct heat. So you want to get a really hot flame going on your grill. You can tell if the grill is ready by using the hand test. Hold your hand a couple of inches above the grill. If you can’t hold it above the grill for 2 seconds, then it is ready!

Step 3 - Start Cooking

When your grill comes to temperature you are ready to cook. When placing your filet mignon on the grill, use tender care. Do not pierce the filet with a fork or anything sharp. This will cause the juices to run out of the filet while you are cooking it. Instead, use tongs to grab the filet.

How Long do you Grill Filet Mignon?

Sear the filet for 4 minutes on both sides and flip the steak only once during the grilling process.

There are two techniques that I am aware of, that will accurately tell you the doneness of your steak. The first choice is to use an instant read thermometer, which is the most accurate method. The only downside of this method is that when you pierce the meat, all of those wonderful juices that give you that great flavor can leak out. So I avoid the instant read thermometer and use the touch method, which does take practice.

Here is a great technique that I learned on a cooking show and it is the only method I use now.
Take your index finger and gently touch it to your thumb. Don’t push your fingers together hard. Now push down on the fleshy part of your hand. It should feel soft and mushy. That is a close representation of how a rare steak feels when you push down on it. Now do the same thing with your middle finger and you have medium rare. The same with your index finger and you have medium . Lastly, the same with your pinky finger and you have well-done.

Step 4 - Let it Rest!

After the steak has cooked to your desired doneness, remove it to a plate and let it sit for 10 minutes. Resist the urge to cut or poke the meat to check it! If you do, your meat will be ruined. By letting it rest for 10 minutes, you are allowing the juices to become evenly distributed throughout the entire steak. Enjoy!

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