The Ricco Kitchen

Bread is surprisingly simple to make and homemade is far superior to most you can find in any grocery store. All you need is a little push to get you over the hurdle that it is far too difficult and you don’t have time. Here is that push! It IS easy. It is four ingredients and the majority of the time the dough is spent rising or in the oven. Fresh bread out of the oven with butter and jelly is good not only for breakfast or a snack, but I’ll admit to eating it for lunch, and I think once for dinner.

This is possibly one of the yummiest chicken recipes ever. There’s something about Jimmy Dean sausage…mmm tasty. This is simple. You saute up veggies and sausage, while rice is cooking, then stuff it all in an open chicken breast and bake it. My brother affectionately refers to this chicken as “bangin’.”

Mom loves vegetables. She is also really good at making them delicious. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a fan of veggies, but Mom makes them like candy. This recipe is perfect if you don’t have a lot of time to spend on dinner, and want to make everyone think you did!

This recipe also uses some white wine. Another favorite of Mom’s. You know that saying “I love cooking with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food”…Yeah that’s about my Mom. Great dinner anytime and great as leftovers, too.

You are probably asking yourself, “what is goop?” Goop is my family’s word for a stewy, ragu-like concoction. Basically, the kind of dish that you need bread or biscuits with because you have to dip the juices up. I am the butt of jokes when it comes to goop dishes because I will load my plate up, and still dip in the main dish. I like to call it a self-preservation technique…basically, I just love to eat.
The great thing about goop is you can make it with anything really. For example, we altered this edition by adding our leftover potato leek soup from a couple nights ago. We are a big leftover family. Make enough for a few nights, then you always have something to munch on, or add to the next nights meal somehow!

This is by far one of my favorite soups. The savory roasted garlic coupled with the ham and leaks is incredible. It’s a thick, heart warming comfort food – great for cold weather! Also, if you happen to have leftovers, you can also make a chicken and vegetable stew!

If you’re in a hurry and want some simple, tasty meat as an addition to dinner, check out these pork chops.

Ladies, this is the way to a man’s heart. If you can cook a good roast or a good steak, you will surely appeal to the inner carnivore. Be careful, he may even start grunting or belching or otherwise acting like a neanderthal.

To make any kind of roast, it’s important to remember that meat keeps cooking after you take it out of the oven. Because of that, it’s really important to use a meat thermometer – especially for beef if you want it rare and delicious. This roast beef is not any kind of intricately seasoned dish, but the timing and temperature ensures the entire roast is cooked to perfection.

This is a super simple recipe using a leftover ham bone. So, after most of that holiday ham is devoured, you can take the bone and leftover ham scraps and make a tasty soup. I don’t know about you, but I LOVE soup when it’s cold outside. Unfortunately, for some reason it was 70°F outside today and there is a tornado warning. Yes, I said tornado warning…in southern New York. Well, we can eat this inside bundled up and pretend its cold outside.

Leftover update: If you make a cup of white rice, or even take some leftover Chinese white rice, add it to your leftover soup in a pot and warm up on medium low heat- it turns into a delicious thick stew!

If there is one meal that my family is known for, it’s chicken cutlets. Dad once made over 200 for my brother’s playoff soccer game in high school. We made chicken cutlets for my graduation party. When we make cutlets, it’s an event. They are great right out of the oil or 3 days later right out of the fridge. If you have the time, make a lot at once and you have snacks/lunches/meal options for a whole week. You can freeze them too.

Today is my Dad’s 55th birthday. I made him a Jack and Jill pound Cake and of course, a delicious, mouthwatering, yummy dinner: Honey Mustard Crusted Chicken Breast on a bed of Apples and Onions. I made a side of spinach sauteed in oil and garlic. This recipe serves four with one chicken breast each.