Yummy Steak Soup

2 ribs celery, peeled, chopped
1 medium shallot, chopped
6 baby carrots (or 1 regular), chopped
small handful cherry tomatoes, halved
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 T canola or olive oil
1 T butter
pinch salt
---Heat oil over medium heat in medium dutch oven or large saucepan until hot, but not smoking.  Add the butter and melt (don't let it brown).  Add celery, shallots  and carrots, and saute about 5 minutes, stirring.  Add tomatoes, garlic and salt, continuing to stir and cook for 5 minutes until tomatoes are soft.  Remove from pan into bowl to cool.

1 T butter
1 leftover filet wrapped in bacon, blackened (about 8 oz.; any type of steak can be substituted), chopped into fairly small pieces (1/2 in.)
---In the same pan,  melt butter and add steak, stirring over med-high heat to brown.  Remove from pan; set aside for now.  Wipe out pan.

1/4 c red wine
1/4 c beef broth (from 32 oz carton)
---Place cooked vegetables in blender, add wine and broth.  Puree until smooth.

2 T canola or olive oil
1/4 c all- purpose flour

remainder of 32 oz carton beef broth
1 T dried oregano (preferably mexican)
1 tsp black pepper
1 T fresh thyme
2 small purple fingerling potato, very small dice (about 1/4-1/2 inches)
2/3 c mini whole wheat shells
squeeze lime juice 
2 tsp. canned diced green chiles
---In wiped pan, heat oil over med-high heat until shimmering.  Add flour and stir with whisk briskly for 5 minutes or so until roux browns.  Add broth, continuing to whisk.  Add oregano, pepper and thyme.  Add pureed vegetables and beef.  Stir well.  Heat to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer.  Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes.  Add potato.  Continue to simmer 10 minutes, then add shells, lime juice and green chiles.  Stir and cook 10-15 minutes.  Adjust seasonings, if necessary.

pan fried pork gyoza

1 lb ground pork
1 T sesame oil
2 egg whites
2 T low sodium soy sauce
1 inch ginger, grated (hint: store ginger root in freezer in ziploc bag to use as needed--it grates wonderfully with a microplane this way)
freshly ground pepper
2 T each finely minced scallion, garlic, and basil
optional: 1 T red chile flakes or shichimi powder
--Place all ingredients in a large bowl and incorporate thoroughly

1 package gyoza or wonton wrappers
small bowl water for wetting fingers
--Line a large rimmed baking sheet with waxed paper.  Hold 1 wrapper in one hand.  Using a small spoon (teaspoon), scoop a small portion of the pork mixture into the center of the wrapper.  Wet the edges of the wrapper with water using fingertip.  If using gyoza wrappers (round), fold the wrapper like a taco but don't seal yet.  Make pleats along the edge decoratively, pressing to seal.  This takes a little practice, but makes for an attractive dish.  If using wonton wrappers (square), wet the edges and fold into a triangle.  Place gyoza on waxed paper to rest while completing the other dumplings.  If sidetracked for a long time, cover them with a damp tea towel. (Be sure not to fill the dumplings too full or it will be very hard to get a good seal and the filling may leak out.)

canola and/or sesame oil
water/dry sherry
--Preheat oven to 325F.  Place rack in large rimmed baking sheet.  In large (12") nonstick saute pan heat about 1-2 t oil over med-high heat until shimmering.  Add some of the gyoza, but do not crowd (10-12).  Press down gently to make a flat bottom.  Don't move them around for at least 3 minutes.  The bottoms should start to brown and crisp.  Add 3 T water or combination sherry/water and cover pan with foil to allow gyoza to steam.  Cook approx. 7 minutes to cook thoroughly.  Transfer gyoza to baking sheet and place this in oven to keep warm.  Add a little more oil and continue to cook all the gyoza.  If you want some really crispy fried dumplings, add more oil (be careful of splattering!) and fry both sides.  Add less water to steam to keep them crispy.

1/2 c low sodium soy sauce
1/4 c rice wine vinegar
1-2 T mirin or dry sherry (to taste)
1 t sugar

--Mix all together in bowl for dipping sauce.  Add sliced green onions, if desired.  Serve with hot rice.

chicken with pancetta and angel hair pasta recipe

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts halves

1 T olive oil

1 T butter

salt and pepper

9 slices pancetta

shredded asaigo cheese and shredded italian blend cheese (or mozzarella)

--Cut chicken into third but not all the way through.  Season with salt and pepper.  Heat olive oil in large saute pan over med-high heat, add butter and melt, but don't let it brown.

Add chicken and cook 5 minutes on one side, turn over and cook 5 minutes more.  Place 2 slices pancetta on each chicken breast.  Place the remaining pancetta in the pan directly to allow to crisp.  Reduce heat after 2 minutes, top each breast with cheese.  Remove chicken from pan, and place in warm oven to keep warm. Chop remaining pancetta and return to pan.

8 oz. dried angel hair pasta

1 T minced garlic

3/4 c chicken broth

1/4 c heavy cream (or milk, or half and half)

2 T fresh chopped rosemary

2 T balsamic vinegar

freshly ground pepper

1 T butter

additional asiago cheese

--Cook pasta in plenty of salted boiling water, according to directions.  Meanwhile, increase heat to saute pan.  Cook pancetta until crispy.  Reduce heat to medium and add minced garlic (do not cook garlic over high heat or it will become bitter).  Saute for 1 minute, add chicken broth, scraping the bottom to incorporate all the cooked bits.  Add the cream and rosemary.  Increase heat to med-high and stir until sauce is bubbling.  Add pepper to taste and the balsamic.  Cook 5 minutes.  Drain pasta, return to pot and add butter, toss.  Add sauce to the pasta and toss.  Remove chicken from the oven, place in saute pan to heat  for a minute or two.  Sprinkle asiago cheese on pasta and stir.  Serve chicken with pasta.