By the Cookbooks

     Being from the Midwest, I am all about a good casserole that I can make on the stove during the hot summer months, and this one hit the spot.      This also calls for wine, and if you're like me that means a glass for the skillet, a glass for the cook. Ingredients     4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs     1 1/2 tsp kosher salt     1/2 tsp  black pepper     1 tbs of olive oil     2 cloves of garlic minced     1 1/4 cup of chicken broth     1/3 cup of chardonnay     1 carrot, diced     1 leek, white and green parts only     12 white mushrooms, halved     1 cup of white and wild rice blend     2 tbs of thyme Directions     Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.     In a large skillet, warm olive oil over medium-high heat.     Add the chicken, skin side down and cook for 3 to 4 minut...

   Let me say first and for most, I never had even heard of vichyssoise before I came across this recipe. Now, that I know what it is, I'm not a fan, but someone out there has to be since it has made its way into cookbooks.    I have loved everything from the Audrey Hepburn book, have even repeated some of the recipes I made already, so if you love vichyssoise, you should give this a shot. Ingredients     1 onion, finely sliced     2 leek hearts     3 1/2 tbs of unsalted butter     1 quart of chicken broth     2 potatoes, diced     1 tbs of chopped chives     Nutmeg     Worcestershire sauce     1/2 cup of cream Directions     Cook onions and leeks in butter on low heat for 15 minutes.     Add the broth, potatoes, chives, nutmeg and Worcestershire sauce and cook for 30 minutes.     Pour in cream and blend together.     C...

    My mom is a beef farmer's daughter, so I grew up with beef all the time. Eating chicken happened mainly when we went out and actually bought the chicken meat.     I never knew or ventured to learn how my mom served chicken, because it was such a rarity, so I wanted to find a good one. Ingredients      2 bone-in chicken breasts      3/4 tsp garlic      3/4 tsp lemon pepper seasoning      1/2 tsp of dried oregano      1 tbs of olive oil Directions     Preheat oven to 400 degrees     Rub chicken with garlic and sprinkle with lemon pepper and oregano.     In a large skillet, over medium heat brown chicken, skin side down in oil for 5 minutes.     Transfer chicken to shallow baking pan and bake for 30 minutes. Changes I made!    I lined the pan with foil, but outside that everything was the same and delicious. Recipe c...

      I love, love, love shrimp. Growing up, shrimp was one of those things I could only get when I went out to eat. My mom was a farm girl, so seafood was rare.        I Don't Know How to Cookbook lives up to its name with this simple recipe. Ingredients       1/2 lb shrimp       8 ounces pasta       2 tbs oil       basil pesto       grated Parmesan Directions        Rinse and remove vine, peel shells off the shrimps.        Cook pasta according to packaging.        Heat olive oil over medium high heat in pan.        Cook shrimp until pink and starts to curl.        Drain pasta, combine with shrimp, pesto.        Top with Parmesan. Changes I've Made!      I love, love, love cooking my shrimp in butter, so I swapped the oil...