Chicken Dumplings (Russian style, known as Pelmeni in Russia)
serves 4

Ingredients:
For dough
1. 2 cups all purpose flour
2. 1/4 cup water
3. 1 large egg
4. 1 tbsp canola or vegetable oil
5. salt to taste

For filling
1. 1/2 lbs ground chicken
2. 2 cloves garlic (crushed)
3. 1 tsp dried oregano leaves
4. salt to taste
5. 3 sticks celery
6. 1 tsp cayenne pepper
7. 1 tbsp lemon juice

* 2-3 cups water to cook dumplings

Method:
1. Combine flour, egg, oil, water and salt and knead into a soft, elastic dough. If dough is too sticky add more flour, it too stiff add oil.
2. Set aside to prepare filling.
3. Chop celery sticks finely.
4. Combine all the rest of the ingredients for the filling in a mixing bowl and add the chopped celery.
5. Mix until even and set filling aside.
6. Divide dough into roughly 8 portions.
7. Cover the surface of the counter with flour (so dough does not stick) and flatten dough using a rolling pin to form a thin layer.
8.using a sharp edged circular bowl, invert, press and cut the flattened dough into as many cutouts as possible.
9. Using a spoon fill the cutout surface with filling, enough so the cutout can be folded into a half moon shape comfortably.
10. Fold cutout into a half moon shape and seal the periphery by pinching.
11. Repeat steps 7 t0 10 for the rest of the dough.
12. Boil 2-3 cups water in a pan and add the dumplings to it.
13. Cook for approx 5-6 minutes or until the filled meat is visibly cooked through the surface of the dumpling.
14. Serve hot with sour cream or lowfat yogurt.

Substitutions: Mushroom for celery, pork or lean ground beef for chicken.

Spiced Apples

Boil 2 cups of water
Add to the water
1 small sliced onion
Salt to flavor
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 diced apple
1 pinch paprika
1 pinch turmeric
5 seeds of pepper
7 drops of lemon juice
1 tablespoon sugar

Cover and cook until water boils away
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Suggestions for improvement: Y-add more lemon, avoid paprika

Atypical egg drop soup

This egg drop soup is a 15 minute dish including preparation and cooking time. The results is a dish unlike anything found in restaurants. The soup is a sweet minty filling delight that could be a great opening dish for a meal.
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Ingredients:

• 2 skins from raw chicken thighs
  
• 3 cups of water
• 2 stems of cilantro
  
• 2 stems of mint
• 1 apple, diced
  
• 1 medium white onion, diced
• 2 large green onions, diced
• 1 egg
• Season to taste with sugar, pepper and salt.

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Steps:

• Remove the skin from 2 raw chicken thighs
• Drop the skin into boiling water
• Let the skin boil until cooked
• Remove skin from water
  

*This stage of the stew extracts the fats from the skin and serves as a broth for the egg drop soup.

• While boiling, sever the leaves from the stems the mint and cilantro
• Seperate into a bowl
• Add diced apples, green onions, and onions into the bowl
• Pour contents into the broth
• Season to taste with sugar, pepper and salt.
  

Give the ingredients time to boil for 2 or 3 minutes. You should smell the mint.

• Turn off the burner.
• When the water simmers, pour slowly the egg whites and beat the egg as it enters the liquid.

This creates ribbons of egg that is the classic signature of egg drop soup. Do not reheat the soup after performing this step because the egg will froth all over the pot and changes the texture of the dish.

*This dish is still experimental so feel free to add comments. Aaron has a bias towards loving lots of flavor!

Tuna Pasta

2 1/2 cups water
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 tsp fresh basil
8 oz elbow macaroni, uncooked
1 4 oz jar pimentos
1 9 oz package frozen cut green beans
1 cup skim milk
4 oz reduced-fat cheddar cheese, grated
1 large can white albacore tuna packed in water, drained
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley



DIRECTIONS:
1. Bring water, bouillon cubes, pepper and basil leaves to a boil in a 4-quart pot.

2. Gradually add pasta so that water continues to boil.

3. Cover and simmer for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Meanwhile, dice pimento.

5. Stir diced pimento, green beans and milk into pot; cover and simmer 6 to 8 minutes or until pasta and beans are tender.

6. Stir in cheese, tuna and parsley until cheese is melted.

7. Serve immediately.

Jumbalaya

An easy chicken jambalaya recipe with rice, chicken, ham, shrimp, and vegetables.
Ingredients:

* 1 broiler chicken, cut up, about 3 pounds
* paprika
* 3 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 cup chopped onion
* 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
* 2 ribs celery, chopped
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1/2 cup diced cooked ham
* 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) stewed tomatoes
* 2 cups chicken broth
* 1 cup long-grain rice
* 2 teaspoons leaf thyme, crumbled
* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
* 1/4 teaspoon pepper
* 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (Tabasco)

Preparation:
Wash chicken and pat dry; rub with the paprika. Heat olive oil in a large skillet; add chicken and brown on all sides. Remove chicken from skillet. Add onion, green bell pepper, celery, and garlic. Sauté over low heat until onion is tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in ham, tomatoes, chicken broth, rice, thyme, salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Add chicken and turn to coat with sauce. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minute, or until chicken is tender. Stir in shrimp and cook about 3 minutes longer, or just until shrimp turns pink.
Jambalaya recipe serves 6.

Angel Touched Chicken

Chicken
Italian Seasoning
1 stem of Rosemary
Olive Oil
2 Garlic Cloves
Garlic Salt
Chicken Broth

Season the pan with herbs
Pour in enough broth to cover the bottom of the pan
Mix together
Add chicken breast to pan and season the chicken
Pour olive oil over chicken
Begin cooking over medium high heat
While cooking occasionally add more olive oil and broth until the chicken is cooked



Yasha: watch for it being too dry

Applite Filling Fish

mix and allow to marinade for 15 minutes:
one cut apple
5 whole olives
pour a swirl of olive oil onto the apples
add lemon juice from a quarter lemon

prepare 2 tilapia fillets
-place into the bottom of a medium sized pan
-place marinade on top of fish
-season with garlic salt
-add teaspoon of italian spice mix

Simmer on low until the apple's degrade into a sauce