Chicken Wonton Soup

I've posted on here before about my mom's amazing wontons and that we were lucky enough to get those and wonton soup on the same night. Life was good in my home. My mom was a fantastic home cook and I hope that I follow in her steps, if only in a small way by honoring her and her recipes.

The base of this recipe is hers. But, I've added some extra vegetables to the end product to boost the heartiness. Feel free to add and take away vegetables that you love.

Chicken Wonton Soup

2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts
10-12 cups water
3 stalks  celery, cut into chunks
whole yellow onion, peeled and cut into chunks
1 TSBP salt
1 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

To make the chicken broth for the soup, bring all above ingredients to a boil in a large stock pot. Once it comes to a boil, reduce to simmer, add lid to pot, and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour.
After an hour, take the pot off the heat and remove the chicken, celery stalks and onions. Discard the celery and onion and allow chicken to cool. Once chicken has cooled, remove skin and bones and discard. Shred chicken into small pieces and set aside for the wonton filling. Skim any impurities off the top of the broth with a slotted spoon, and discard them.

To make Wontons

1 package square wonton wrappers (you will use about half-25)
3 green onions, sliced
cooked and shredded chicken (see above recipe)
2 TBSP light soy sauce
water to seal edges of wontons

In a small bowl, mix together chicken, green onions and soy sauce, until sauce covers the chicken.
Set up a bowl with some water in it. Lay out 5-10 wontons at a time on a flat surface, adding about 1 TBSP of chicken into the center of each wonton. Using your finger, wet the edges of the wonton wrapper and fold the wonton in half to make a triangle, sealing the edges as you fold. Set them aside to cook in the broth.

Additions to Wonton Soup

1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup snow peas
3 green onions, sliced
1/4 c light soy sauce

Place the chicken broth back on stove over medium heat. Add all ingredients and let simmer for 20 minutes with the lid on. Add the filled wontons in the last 7 minutes of cooking time. Wontons are cooked through when they float. Taste broth adding salt and pepper as needed.  Serve immediately.

Cheesy Bacon Smashed Potatoes

Do you like potato skins? Then this is the side dish for you. All the ingredients that you love in potato skins, bacon, cheese, green onions and sour cream are in this delicious side.

Cheesy Bacon Smashed Potatoes

2 lbs small red potatoes, cut into 1 inch chunks
2 TBSP butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
1 cup sour cream
3 stalks green onions, sliced
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 TBSP salt
1 1/2 tsp ground black pepper


In a large stock pot, add cut potatoes and cover them with cold water and 1 tsp salt. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and remove lid and allow to cook for  15-20 minutes or until fork tender. Drain the potatoes and set aside. In the same pot potatoes were boiled in, add butter and garlic, cooking garlic for about 2 minutes. Add the potatoes back into the pot, and with potato masher, smash the potatoes, leaving small chunks of potatoes. Add sour cream, bacon, green onions, cheese and seasonings. Stir until all ingredients are incorporated and cheese is melted. Serve hot with your favorite meat.

Sriracha Honey Lime Chicken Wings

This is one of my favorite recipes that I came up with. Chicken wings in a spicy, sweet, tangy sauce. They are great for a party, for watching a ball game, or just for dinner.

Sriracha Honey Lime Chicken Wings

2 lbs chicken wingettes and drumbettes (Hate bones? Use chicken breasts tenders)
1 1/2 c flour
1 TBSP salt
2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp chile powder
1 tsp ground paprika
1/2 tsp ground cayenne
2 c vegetable oil to fry with

In a large, heavy bottomed skillet or sauce pan, heat up oil over medium high heat, to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, mix together flour and seasonings. Dredge the chicken in the flour. When the oil reaches 350 degrees F, fry the chicken in batches, about 6 wings at a time. Fry for about 15-20 minutes total, until brown and chicken cooked through. Once cooked through, toss in the wing sauce and serve immediately.

Sriracha Honey Lime Sauce

1 stick butter
2 TBSP Sriracha hot sauce
1/2 c honey
1/2 c light brown sugar
juice and zest of two limes

Bring all ingredients to a boil, whisking constantly. Then reduce heat to low and let simmer without a lid for 5 minutes. Toss the cooked wings in the sauce and serve immediately.

Chicken Parmesan with Homemade Marinara

I think Chicken Parm comes across as a difficult meal to make, but it is actually really fast and easy. Then you end up with a delicious dinner that will impress anyone.

Chicken Parmesan

4 chicken breasts
1 1/2 c flour
2 tsp Kosher salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 eggs
2 TBSP water
2 c Panko bread crumbs
3/4 c Parmesan cheese
1 TBSP dried parsley flakes
1 tsp black pepper
Olive oil to cook with
2 lbs fresh mozzarella, cut into 8 equal slices


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Split chicken breasts width wise to make 2 equal size pieces. Do this to all  4 chicken breasts to make 8 pieces total.  In one bowl, mix together flour, salt and pepper. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs and water. In a third bowl, mix together Panko, Parmesan cheese, parsley, and pepper. This is your dredging station. Dredge chicken in flour mixture first, then directly into the egg  wash, then lastly into the Panko bread crumb mixture. Set aside and coat all chicken. In a large non-stick skillet, heat about 3 TBSP of olive oil over medium high heat. Once oil is hot, cook 3-4 chicken breasts at a time, for 5-7 minutes per side. Once chicken has cooked, place on a baking rack that is sitting on a cookie sheet. Place one slice of mozzarella cheese on each piece of chicken and bake in the oven for 5-7 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
Serve with homemade Marinara Sauce and pasta of your choice.

Marinara Sauce
1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
1 8 oz can of tomato sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 medium onion, diced
2 tsp Kosher salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper
5 basil leaves minced
1 TBSP honey
olive oil

In a large saucepan, heat up 1 TBSP Olive Oil over medium heat. Add garlic and onions and sweat them for about 2-3 minutes, careful not to burn the garlic. Add the crushed tomatoes, sauce, seasonings and honey. Stir all together. Turn heat to low and allow to simmer

Chicken Enchilada Soup

Wintery weather has hit us all of a sudden; highs in the 40s and most of the day hovering in the 30s. I'm cold after such a great early Fall of 70 degree weather for weeks. The only way to warm up is with soup. I've been making soup and chili all week long. This is one of my favorites and the kids gobble it up. It doesn't hurt that a lot of the ingredients are from a can, therefore making it a super fast dinner to throw together.

Chicken Enchilada Soup

2 chicken breasts, diced into bite size pieces
1/2 yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup frozen corn
2-14 oz cans of low sodium chicken broth
1-14 oz can diced tomatoes
1-10 oz can red enchilada sauce
1-14 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1-14 oz can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 TSBP Kosher salt
1 TBSP ground black pepper
2 tsp ground chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground chipotle powder
1/2 tsp ground cayenne
1 c sour cream
1 c shredded cheddar cheese
1 c tortilla chips

In a large stock pot, about 10-12 qt size, heat 2 TBSP oil over medium high heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Add diced chicken and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Pour in the broth, corn, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, beans and seasonings. Stir together until well incorporated. Cover with a lid and reduce heat to low and simmer for 30-45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Whisk in the sour cream during the last 10 minutes of cooking time. Serve with tortilla chips and cheese sprinkled on top.

Stuffed Cabbage Leaves

This is another one of my mom's classic recipes. As I child, I didn't love cooked cabbage but loved the filling. But, as an adult, I now love the cooked cabbage just as much as the filling. It doesn't hurt that my husband and boys love this too. This recipe is requested quite a bit in our home.

Stuffed Cabbage Leaves

1 small head of cabbage
1 lb ground beef (85/15 blend)
2 cups cooked white rice
1/2 yellow onion, diced
2 eggs
1/2 c milk
1 TBSP Kosher salt
2 tsp ground black pepper
1 c BBQ sauce for filling
4 TBSP butter
1/2 c BBQ sauce for sauce
1/2 c water

In a large mixing bowl, add ground beef, cooked rice, milk,onion, eggs, salt, pepper and 1 c BBQ sauce and mix until every ingredient is well incorporated. In the largest stock pot you have, fill it with water and bring it to a boil. Remove the core of the cabbage and add the entire head of cabbage to the boiling water. Cook the cabbage only a few minutes, until leaves are slightly softened and they start to fall off the head. Using tongs, remove the  softened cabbage leaves and place on a flat surface. Using a spoon, add about 1/2 c of filling to center of each softened cabbage leaf. Roll the cabbage leaves like a burrito; bottom of leaf up over filling, sides of cabbage folded over the filling next, and then roll closed. In a large skillet with a lid, melt butter over medium heat. Add the filled cabbage leaves, seam side down. Pour 1/2 C BBQ sauce and water over all the leaves. Reduce heat to low and cover skillet with a lid. Cook for 45 minutes. Serve hot with the pan sauce leaves were cooked in.

Makes about 12-15 stuffed cabbage. You will have leftover cabbage.

Chicken Fried Steak with Peppered Milk Gravy

This is one of my favorite meals of all time. Crunchy and tender steak smothered in gravy? Yes, please. And it doesn't hurt that it's super easy and quick to make.

Chicken Fried Steak with Peppered Milk Gravy

6 cube steaks
1 1/2 c flour
2 tsp Kosher salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground paprika
1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper
 1/2 c vegetable oil, to cook with

Preheat a cast iron skillet (or another heavy bottomed skillet), over medium high heat and add the vegetable oil. In a large bowl, mix together flour with all the seasonings and mix well. Dredge the steaks in the seasoned flour and place directly into the hot skillet, about 3 steaks at a time. Fry the steaks for 4-5 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Once fried, place on paper towels to remove excess oil. Serve with mashed potatoes and gravy.

Peppered Milk Gravy

4 TBSP butter
1/4 c flour
1 tsp Kosher salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 cups milk
crispy bits left in pan from frying the steak

In a 2 qt sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk with the butter until smooth, cooking the flour mixture for 2 minutes. Add the milk and seasonings and whisk together continuously. Bring gravy to a boil and it will thicken. Using a slotted spoon, get the crispy bits left in the bottom of the pan from frying the steak and whisk those into the gravy. Taste the gravy to check for seasonings and add salt and pepper as needed. Serve over steak and mashed potatoes.