Fire Roasted Tomato and Chicken Soup with Cheese Tortellini

Spring is finally here but the snow on the ground means that it's still chilly outside. And that means that I'm still making soup. A lot. We just love those 'warm-you-up-dinners' in our house!

I try to make a lot of different kinds of soups to keep things interesting around here and get everyone to try new styles and flavor combinations. I usually try to incorporate a meat since soup is our main course instead of a starter. (But I throw in a few veggie-only soups now and then just for fun.) This one happens to have meat but it can easily be left out if you're a vegetarian or not big on meat soups.

Grilled Shallots with Thyme

I love shallots. They're so cute and have such a wonderfully subtle onion flavor that they're the perfect addition for many dishes. They're best for when you want a hint of onion but don't want to overwhelm things. And because they're so mild in flavor, they work great as a side dish all on their own.

These grilled shallots are fantastic when paired with a grilled steak or even barbecued chicken. You can change up the herbs to compliment your other dishes for a custom taste every time! I added the balsamic for a little tang but you could easily leave it out if you aren't a fan. Or try some red wine vinegar or a little lemon juice for some variations. The sky's the limit here!

Chicken Picatta

Have you ever been to a wedding or shower and been served chicken picatta? Do you ever sigh when you see it in front of you? I have on occasion. I usually dread it because it just isn't that great most of the time. There doesn't ever seem to be any flavor to it. I love chicken. I love lemon. What could be the problem, right? Well, they usually don't have that lemony flavor that makes it taste so good. It's usually pretty bland. When I get something called chicken picatta, I want it to taste like what's it's supposed to taste like! My version does. It doesn't taste like anything you get at those restaurants because each flavor is pronounced and has it's own job.

And you can feel all fancy on a regular weeknight because it's really easy and super quick to make!

Homemade Ranch Dressing (Without Buttermilk)

Okay, it's not that I have anything against buttermilk, it's just that I never have it in the fridge. I don't keep it 'just in case' so spur-of-the-moment recipes that require it don't happen around here. Ranch dressing used to be one of those things that I couldn't make because I never had the buttermilk. Now, I'm not normally a super huge fan of ranch dressing, but sometimes you just have to have it! And, I got tired of not being able to have it because of that one ingredient. So I improvised. And I tweaked. And I ended up with a dressing that is awesome using ingredients that you probably already have. No special grocery store visit needed just to top your salad. Or dip your vegetables. Or however else you'd use it.

So if you're in the mood for some ranch dressing, don't be discouraged if you don't have any buttermilk! Give this one a try and you won't miss the other kind.

Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs (In Only 7 Minutes!)

I've always loved eggs. I think it stems from when I was younger and my Grandma would babysit my sister and I. She would make us scrambled eggs and they were delicious. I've written about my Grandma before so you may remember that she's Polish and therefore cooks like, well, a Polish Grandma would. Those eggs were full of Polish Sausage and butter. I'm pretty sure there were at least a few tablespoons of that butter mixed in with the sausage grease. I've since changed how I make my own scrambled eggs so they don't have all those 'extras' but I've still managed to make them taste just like hers. The secret? Seasoned salt...

Roast Chicken Halves with Lemon Garlic Butter

Chicken. (Insert long sigh.) I just love chicken. There are so many things you can do with it that it's virtually impossible to get bored with it. I have so many ideas running through my head that I just can't keep up!

This roast chicken is my latest chicken recipe creation. And let me tell you...it is delicious. I tried something new with this one and the result was the best ever. What did I do differently? Well, this chicken was halved. I've never tried to tackle it before but I'm seriously doing it this way from now on. Not only does it cook faster than when it's whole, but it cooks more evenly leaving you with super moist and perfectly cooked meat.

Mango Salsa (with Apples) for Canning

I think I've finally made my best fruit salsa yet. My Apple Peach Salsa - which was pretty darn tasty - has nothing on this one. Nothing I tell you!