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Creamy Chicken Soup

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This Creamy Chicken Soup (Ciorba Radauteana) is a traditional Romanian soup that is hearty, full of flavor and super easy to make! Requiring only a handful of simple ingredients – this is one soup you’ll want to make over and over.

A bowl of Romanian soup with chicken and sour cream

If you don’t like ‘tripe soup’ but you enjoy its taste, then this is the perfect alternative. It is very easy to make, though I don’t consider normal tripe soup harder either, requiring only your basic Romanian soup ingredients. Heck, if the taste wasn’t so different, I would say all Romanian soups taste pretty much the same. They don’t!

What is tripe soup

Let’s talk about the tripe soup. This soup is verrry popular in Romania, they serve it in every restaurant around the country, though not everybody is as successful in making it as I am. The main ingredient is obviously… tripe. Specifically, beef tripe that you can find in every grocery store in Canada where it’s only purchased by connoisseurs. The ‘natives’ are grossed out… lucky me!

Fortunately, Romanians thought of making a ‘toned down version’ as well, because even there, noobs are plenty. The country is full of people that are too ‘chicken’ to be adventurous when it comes to food and everything else for that matter.

How to make the perfect soup

Back to my Chicken Creamy Soup, which in Romania, is called Ciorba Radauteana from the zone in which it was first born (so they say). There are many similarities between this one and my other favorite, Chicken à la Grecque. Basically, à la Grecque has lemon juice and Chicken Creamy Soup gets its sour taste from vinegar. There are few other differences but not worth mentioning now, you have to check the recipe (coming soon!).

Traditionally, you would remove all the vegetables other than the carrots as serve it just like the tripe soup but with chicken obviously – but that’s up to you! Personally, whenever I have chicken, I need to have some veggies as well or I remain unfulfilled… gastronomically!

Ingredients

Keep scrolling down to the printable recipe card for FULL ingredient amounts and instructions -don’t ask stupid questions.

  • Water – Duh.
  • Chicken – We’re using a whole chicken for this one, chopped up!
  • Salt & Pepper – To taste.
  • Vegetable Oil – Substitute with sunflower, safflower or avocado oil.
  • Onion – Chopped.
  • Garlic – Fresh is always best! Minced.
  • Carrot – Cubed.
  • Parsnip – Sliced.
  • Celery Stalk – Sliced.
  • Bell Pepper – I used red bell pepper, cubed.
  • Bay Leaves – Essential for soup.
  • Vinegar – Plain ol’ white vinegar – easy.
  • Sour Cream – A must!
  • Egg – We just need the egg yolk for this soup!
  • Parsley – Chopped.
a series of ingredients used in cooking my excellent creamy chicken soup

How to make creamy chicken soup

  1. Make Broth – Pour about 5qt (approx. 5L) of water into a soup pot. Add chicken, salt and pepper, bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes; remove the dark foam from the top with a slotted spoon. Transfer chicken and broth to a bowl and clean your pot if needed. Set aside but… DO NOT THROW AWAY THE BROTH!
  2. Cook Veggies – Heat 1 tbsp of vegetable oil over medium heat. In the same pot you used to cook the chicken, add the onions and saute for 5 minutes until soft and translucent. Add carrots, celery, red bell pepper, parsnip to the pot and continue to saute everything for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Combine & Cook – Add the chicken and bay leaves; fill up the pot with the reserved broth. Bring to boil and cook for 30 minutes.
  4. Make it Creamy – In a separate bowl mix three egg yolks with sour cream. Gradually add hot broth with a ladle and keep mixing so it doesn’t split. When the concoction is hot enough you can pour it back into the pot.
  5. Add Vinegar – Add 1/4 cup of vinegar to the soup pot and cook for another 10 minutes.
  6. Finish & Serve – Remove from heat, add parsley and cover with a lid. Let sit for about 5 minutes, then serve.

How to serve creamy chicken soup

In a bowl with a spoon??? Just kidding, of course you know how to eat soup or you think at least. Romanian sour soups require fresh crusty bread and loads of hot peppers, pickled or fresh.

How to store leftover chicken soup

Properly stored, your leftover creamy chicken soup will last for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. To further extend the shelf life of cooked chicken soup, freeze it!

Freezing

Find a flat space in your freezer to place the soup and keep frozen until you’re ready to eat it!

Freeze soup in covered airtight containers or heavy-duty freezer bags. You can keep your frozen soup in the freezer for up to 3 months. I suggest labeling the soup with that date to keep track of the expiry date!

More great recipes from my kitchen:

  • 5 qt water
  • 1 lb chicken
  • 1 tsp pepper (ground)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 onion (chopped)
  • 5 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 carrot (cubed)
  • 1 parsnip (sliced)
  • 1 celery stalk (sliced)
  • 1 red bell pepper (cubed)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/4 cup vinegar
  • 8 oz sour cream
  • 3 egg (yolk)
  • 2 tbsp parsley (chopped)

  1. Pour about 5qt (aprox. 5L) of water into a soup pot add chicken, salt and pepper, bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes; remove the dark foam from the top with a slotted spoon. Transfer chicken and broth to a bowl and clean your pot if needed. Set aside but… DO NOT THROW AWAY THE BROTH!

  2. Heat 1 tbsp of vegetable oil over medium heat in the same pot you used to cook the chicken, add the onions and saute for 5 minutes until soft and translucent.

  3. Add carrots, celery, red bell pepper, parsnip to the pot and continue to saute everything for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  4. Add the chicken and bay leaves; fill up the pot with the reserved broth. Bring to boil and cook for 30 minutes.

  5. In a separate bowl mix three egg yolks with sour cream. Gradually add hot broth with a ladle and keep mixing so it doesn't split. When the concoction is hot enough you can pour it to the pot.

  6. Add 1/4 cup of vinegar to the soup pot and cook for another 10 minutes.

  7. Remove from heat, add parsley and cover with a lid. Serve in 5 minutes or so.

Notes

Don’t get stuck on quantities. A soup is a soup, you are not mixing rocket fuel. The more stuff you add, the more water you might need to balance out the texture in the end – unless you like a thick soup… I don’t. There is no way you can mess this creamy chicken soup up – unless you screw up the salt, pepper, sour cream and vinegar quantities. Make sure to add just a little at a time, taste as you go and you should be golden! Easy.

Remember, the damn sour cream mixed with egg, can easily split and if that happens you have to throw it away and start again. This is the reason why you mix these ingredients separately while pouring a bit of hot soup at a time. Otherwise, if you just throw it into the soup, will end up looking like cheese curds.

Beans and Sausage Stew

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Romanian Style Beans and Sausage Stew (Iahnie de Fasole) – full of smoked sausage and a handful of other hearty ingredients. It’s simple to make and sure to satisfy.

A Romanian style classic bean stew

This Beans and Sausage Stew is a traditional Romanian recipe. Simple ingredients come together to create a hearty and flavorful stew! Full of chopped veggies, smoked sausage and fresh herbs, this stew is comforting, warm and satisfying.

To be fair, Romanian bean stew is pretty “boring” per se, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t full of flavor! It’s as easy as cooking the sausage, making the hearty tomato broth, and boom – you’re done! Well, it’s a bit more than that .. but, you get my drift.

Ingredients

Keep scrolling down the printable recipe card for FULL ingredient amounts and instructions – don’t ask stupid questions.

  • Sausage – I used wagyu cheddar beef sausage, cut into 1 (2.5 cm) inch pieces – but feel free to use your preference of sausage! (read below for more info on sausages)
  • Vegetable Oil
  • Celery – Chopped.
  • Carrots – Medium, chopped
  • Onion – Chopped.
  • Garlic – Fresh is always best! Minced.
  • Habanero – Chopped.
  • Bell Pepper – I used red, cubed.
  • Beans – I used canned beans – mixed types. Feel free to use the beans you prefer – dry or canned both work! (see below for reference)
  • Tomatoes – Crushed fire roasted, canned. Use what you have!
  • Water
  • Sugar – Plain ol’ granulated.
  • Bay Leaves – Essential for stews.
  • Parsley – Fresh, chopped.
  • Salt & Pepper – To taste.
A photo with bean stew ingredients

How to make beans and sausage stew

  1. Cook the Sausage – Add the sausages to a medium sized frying pan and cook them for 10 minutes or until browned on all sides; don’t worry if they’re not cooked through, they will continue to cook with the beans – Set them aside.
  2. Saute the Onions – Heat 1 tbsp of vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat then add the onions and saute for 5 minutes until soft and translucent.
  3. Add Ingredients – Add celery, carrots, garlic, Habanero and red pepper to the pot and continue to saute everything for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. Simmer – Add one cup of water, sugar, beans, crushed fire roasted tomatoes, bay leaves, salt and pepper and let simmer for 30 minutes covered.
  5. Finish & Serve – Remove from heat, garnish with parsley, cover and let sit for another 5 minutes. Serve.

Notes:

  • If you think there is not enough liquid for your taste you can add some more tomato juice or water, keep in mind this is not a soup, but a stew – we want it thick!
  • Cooking time will definitely increase if you use dry beans (see below on how to make this with dry beans.)
  • In one of my previous versions (see picture below), I also used big pieces of smoked bacon that you don’t really need to fry in advance. just throw them into the pot and watch your cholesterol going up as you eat.
Fried sausages and bean stew slowly simmering

Beans beans, the magical fruit.

The more you eat, the more you … well, you know how the song goes. Beans are incredibly versatile and there is a wide variety of options to choose from! Not only are they good in stews, they’re good for you too!

Cooking with dry beans

Be aware, some kind of beans contain a compound called lectin which must be removed by cooking. Red kidney beans are particularly toxic, probably this is why everybody I know used to make this stew with white beans. When using dry beans soaking them over night in cold water seems to be mandatory in Romanian cuisine.

If you choose to use dry beans opposed to canned in your stew, here are some tips on prepping them:

Soaking dry beans

Apparently, soaking before cooking helps to remove some of those indigestible sugars that cause flatulence. Some people consider that to be a myth so it is your choice in the end. Personally, I think they cook faster if you soak them overnight. Gassy… I get regardless of the beans I use!

  • Long soak method: Let the beans soak in the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight.
  • Short soak method: Cover the beans with 2 inches of water; bring the water to a simmer for two minutes; remove the pot from direct heat and cover; let the beans steep for 1 hour. *Drain after soaking and use rinse thoroughly before cooking

The sausage

Sausage is one of my favourite things to cook, especially because there is such a wide variety of options to choose from! I used a gorgeous wagyu cheddar beef sausage that I got from a local meat shop, but here are some other great options to choose from:

  • Italian Sausage – A mix of hot, sweet, and spicy; somewhere in-between.
  • Kielbasa – A crowd pleaser for even the pickiest of eaters. Kielbasa is also available in a variety of flavors, including chicken, veal, lamb, turkey, and beef!
  • Andouille – For a spicy, southern style sausage.
  • Linguica – A Portuguese pork sausage with notes of garlic and paprika- yum!
  • Kabanos – Originated in Poland, my fave.
A bowl of the classic beans and sausage Romanian stew

Can I make this in advance?

One of the best things about stew is that it can be made in advance for an easy freezer meal! Allow your beans and sausage stew to cool completely, then transfer to an airtight, freezer-safe container – seal and freeze for up to 3 months!

When ready to serve, defrost thoroughly in the fridge overnight before reheating. To reheat – place in a pot, over medium heat, stirring occasionally until heated through.

What to serve with your beans and sausage stew

Make sure to serve this stew with a nice chunk of crusty bread or a warm bun to soak up all that broth! This stew is so good you’ll want to lick the bowl clean, but since that is considered “rude” somewhere, if you care – the bread is essential to get every last drop.

A pot full of delicious beans and sausage stew

How to store leftover stew

Store leftover stew in a sealed, airtight container in your fridge for 3-4 days.

See above section “Can I make this in advance” for freezing instructions

Beans and Sausage Stew

Romanian Style Beans and Sausage Stew – full of smoked sausage and a handful of other hearty ingredients. It's simple to make and sure to satisfy.

  • 4 sausages (cut into 1 (2.5 cm) inch pieces, I used wagyu cheddar beef)
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 stalk celery (chopped)
  • 2 medium carrots (chopped)
  • 1 large onions (chopped)
  • 5 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1/2 habanero (chopped)
  • 1 red bell pepper (cubed)
  • 56 oz beans (4 cans of 14 oz, mixed type)
  • 28 oz tomatoes (crushed fire roasted, canned)
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tbsp sugar (granulated)
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 tbsp parsley (chopped)
  • 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
  • 1 tsp pepper (or to taste)

  1. Add the sausages to a medium size frying pan and cook them for 10 minutes or until browned on all sides; don't worry if they're not cooked through, they will continue to cook with the beans. Set aside.

  2. Heat 1 tbsp of vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat then add the onions and saute for 5 minutes until soft and translucent.

  3. Add celery, carrots, garlic, habanero and red pepper to the pot and continue to saute everything for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  4. Add one cup of water, sugar, beans, crushed fire roasted tomatoes, bay leaves, salt and pepper and let simmer for 30 minutes covered.

  5. Remove from heat, garnish with parsley, cover and let sit for another 5 minutes.

  • If you think there is not enough liquid for your taste you can add some more tomato juice or water though this is not a soup but a stew.
  • Cooking time will definitely increase if you use dry beans.

Ham and Cheese Breakfast Calzone

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Ham and Cheese Breakfast Calzone – A Homemade Calzone filled with old style rosemary smoked ham, free-run eggs and loads of Parmigiano-Reggiano.

A delicious rustic looking calzone made with loads of ham and cheese, the perfect breakfast.

This Ham and Cheese Breakfast Calzone is chock full of delicious rosemary smoked ham, fluffy eggs and tons of parm. I’m an adult, I can eat pizza for breakfast and so can you. This is an easy and fun way to spice up your morning meal. Plus, it’s portable – bonus.

While I was shopping for some BBQ things, I found a calzone press from a local store and I was extremely excited! I’ve always found it a bit difficult sealing a calzone, or any other dough-type thing for that matter, I don’t know why – it just doesn’t work for me the way it should, so I thought this would make it very easy and neat. I was right! As usual. When I make something this good, it usually means I have to share – annoying – but at least it is a confirmation of my skills as a cook, I think. Regardless, this recipe is a winner.

What is a Calzone?

In my mind, a calzone is essentially just a folded up pizza, but in correct terms, a calzone is an Italian oven-baked turnover made with folded pizza dough that originated in Naples in the 18th century. A typical calzone is made from salted bread dough that is stuffed with meat, vegetables, and cheese (as well as eggs, like in this one) and baked in an oven. Folded up pizza, am I right?

Ingredients

Keep scrolling to the printable recipe card for FULL ingredient amounts and instructions, don’t ask stupid questions.

  • Ham – Rosemary ham or any other ham that you like.
  • Cheese – We are using parmigiano! Shredded.
  • Eggs – The ones that come from chickens.
  • Salt & Pepper – To taste.

For the calzone dough itself, you can make or buy your own pizza dough. BETTER YET, you can use my Easy Pizza Dough Recipe.

How to make a ham and cheese breakfast calzone

  1. Preheat Oven – Place a pizza stone inside your oven and preheat at 450° F / 230° C. The stone has to be fairly hot, make sure you wait for about 20 minutes before you throw your calzone inside.
  2. Combine Ingredients – Crack the eggs in a bowl and combine them with meat and cheese; stir lightly.
    • You can use just one egg if you prefer, they do get very fluffy inside the dough pocket.
  3. Assemble & Bake – Roll the dough and place the ingredients in the middle. Seal it properly so it doesn’t crack when baking and place it onto a pizza stone. Bake for 15-20 minutes and enjoy!

Using a pizza stone

I used my trusty pizza stone for this recipe. Some people love it, others don’t care, but I think one of the reasons my calzone looks so damn good is because of the stone! It seems the temperature is a bit more uniform, though it does take more than 10 minutes to bake since you have to preheat the stone for at least 30 minutes before placing the calzone on it.

This step is completely up to you. Your calzone will turn out with or without it, but I think it gives it that extra OOMPH. Give it a shot and let me know how you like it!

How to serve

It’s obviously a breakfast calzone, which means we’re eating pizza for breakfast! You can honestly fill these calzones with whatever you’d like – they’re super versatile like that.

How to store leftover calzones

If by chance you have any leftovers, which you shouldn’t because this calzone is the bomb – You can store it in an airtight container in your fridge for 3-4 days.

Ham and breakfast calzone hot out of the oven

Ham and Cheese Breakfast Calzone

Home-made Pizza Calzone with a delicious filling of rosemary and old style smoked ham mixed with free-run eggs and loads of Parmigiano-Reggiano.

  • 2 oz rosemary ham (or any other ham that you like)
  • 1 oz parmigiano (shredded)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1/4 tsp salt

  1. Place a pizza stone inside your oven and preheat at 450° F / 230° C. The stone has to be fairly hot so make sure you wait for about 20 minutes before you throw your calzone inside.

  2. Crack the eggs in a bowl and combine them with meat and cheese; stir lightly. You could probably use just one egg if you think is too much for you, mine got very fluffy inside the dough pocket.

  3. Toll the dough and place the ingredients in the middle. Seal it properly so it doesn't crack when baking and place it onto a pizza stone. Bake for 15-20 minutes and enjoy!

You can make or buy your own pizza dough or you can use a 1/2 piece of my Easy Pizza Dough Recipe. 

Sour Chicken Soup

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Sour Chicken Soup – An old family recipe! Made with chicken, mixed vegetables and ditalini pasta, seasoned with a ton of herbs and fresh lovage.

A bowl of sour chicken soup

This is soup that is near and dear to me, so don’t fudge it up. Just kidding, it’s simple enough to make that you shouldn’t have any troubles. Immerse yourself in this traditional Romanian sour chicken soup, and remember – cooking is not an exact science! You have to taste what you are making as often as you can to get it right.

What is sour chicken soup?

A traditional Romanian soup consisting of chicken, ditalini pasta (or any pasta, or potatoes, or rice), mixed vegetables and a sour broth.

There are two ingredients that you might not be able to find in your grocery store, but are necessary for making a traditional sour chicken soup: Borș Magic, which is what makes the soup sour and adds a bunch of other herbaceous flavor as well and the second mandatory item is Lovage, which I personally never found in any store and ended up getting some seeds and planting my own (because I am a master of all trades). There is a third ingredient, Vegeta – but it can be substituted or simply removed. Honestly, the soup came up so tasty that you wouldn’t really need any seasoning.

Borș Magic

There isn’t really a good translation for this so if you are not around those parts you are out of luck. Traditionally, Romanian soup is turned sour by using ‘borș’ a liquid ingredient obtained from fermenting wheat or barley bran in water, but good luck finding anything similar in North America! However, you can definitely use lemon juice but not too much as the balance has to be just right or the lemon will over-power the whole damn thing.

Alternatively, you can find ‘Borș Magic’ in Polish stores, packages made in Romania by Knorr… I think.

Lovage

Lovage is somewhat similar to celery leaves as far as taste and aroma goes, but I found it a tad bit stronger and more flavorful.

Vegeta

Vegeta, because I put that #*%@ on everything! You can find it pretty much anywhere, but if not – use a chicken bouillon cube but only in case you really need it. Use a lot of bones and veggies in your soup and you can skip it.

Ingredients

Scroll down to the printable recipe card for FULL ingredient amounts and instructions, don’t ask stupid questions.

  • Water
  • Chicken – A whole chicken *I did not use the breast or drumsticks, but you can throw pretty much anything else inside the pot, bones are mandatory!!*
  • Salt & Pepper – To taste. You can also substitute with VEGETA which is somewhat salty.
  • Olive Oil – Substitute vegetable oil, sunflower oil, canola oil or safflower oil.
  • Onions – Use your preference, chopped.
  • Carrots – Cubed.
  • Celery – Stalks, cubed.
  • Bell Pepper – Green bell pepper, cubed.
  • Tomatoes – Cubed.
  • Pasta – Ditalini or egg noodles ftw.
  • Bors Magic or Lemon Juice – To make the soup sour! If you can’t find Bors Magic, lemon juice will work – Freshly squeezed or store bought is fine.
  • Parsley – Finely chopped.

Other:

  • *Lovage & Vegeta – See above.
Ingredients for my sour chicken soup recipe

How to make sour chicken soup

  1. Prep Pot – Pour about 5qt (approx. 5L) of water into a soup pot and get ready to make your amazing soup! (It’s actually my soup).
  2. Prep & Cook Chicken – Clean and chop your chicken in pieces (as small as you want them) and add to the pot with water. *I did not use the breast and drumsticks but you can throw inside the pot pretty much anything else, bones are mandatory*. Bring to boil and cook on medium heat for 20 minutes; remove the dark foam from the top with a slotted spoon or your soup will turn out dark and creepy – ew.
  3. Prep Veg – Clean and chop all the veggies the way you want and set them aside. In a separate skillet, add a tbsp of cooking oil of your choice and cook the onion for 5 minutes or until softened.
  4. Add Ingredients – Add carrots, celery, peppers and saute for another 5 minutes. When done, add sauteed veggies to the pot with the chicken. Add tomatoes and pasta to the pot and keep cooking for another 15 minutes or until the pasta is done.
  5. Make it SOUR! – Five minutes before removing from heat you can add the Bors Magic or lemon juice.
  6. Finish – When you are done, check to see if chicken and pasta are properly cooked, remove from heat, add chopped parsley and lovage (if you managed to find it), cover again and let it rest for 10 minutes.

How to serve

Well, it’s soup.. I would put it in a bowl and eat it with a spoon, no? Serve it up with a nice crusty bread to soak up all that broth. It is also amazing when hangover.

How to store leftover soup

Store your leftover sour chicken soup in the refrigerator for 2-3 days, or in the freezer for several weeks.

Reheating

Reheat soup in a large saucepan over medium heat until it’s hot enough to eat, obviously but don’t do the whole pot, only as much as you would need in that moment.

Sour Chicken Soup

Sour Chicken Soup – An old family recipe! Made with chicken, mixed vegetables and ditalini pasta, seasoned with a ton of herbs and fresh lovage.

  • 5 qt water
  • 1 lb chicken
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onions (chopped)
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1 carrots (cubed)
  • 1 celery stalks (cubed)
  • 1 green bell pepper (cubed)
  • 2 cups tomatoes (cubed)
  • 1 cup pasta (ditalini)
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp parsley (finely chopped)

  1. Pour about 5qt (aprox. 5L) of water into a soup pot and get ready to make your amazing soup (I meant mine).

  2. Clean and chop your chicken in pieces as small as you want them and add to the pot with water. I did not use the breast and drumsticks but you can throw inside the pot pretty much anything else, bones are mandatory. Bring to boil and cook on medium heat for 20 minutes; remove the dark foam from the top with a slotted spoon or your soup will turn out dark and creepy.

  3. Clean and chop all the veggies the way you want and set them aside. In a separate skillet, add a tbsp of cooking oil of your choice and cook the onion for 5 minutes or until softened.

  4. After 5 minutes add carrots, celery, peppers and saute for another 5 minutes. When done, add sauteed veggies to the pot with the chicken. Add tomatoes and pasta and keep cooking for another 15 minutes or until the pasta is done.

  5. Five minutes before removing from heat you can add the lemon juice.

  6. When you are done, check to see if chicken and pasta are properly cooked, remove from heat, add chopped parsley and lovage (if you even know what that is), cover again and let it rest for 10 minutes.

Traditionally, Romanian soup is turned sour by using ‘borș‘ a liquid ingredient obtained from fermenting wheat or barley bran in water, but good luck finding anything similar in North America however, you can definitely use lemon juice but not too much as the balance has to be just right or the lemon will over-power the damn thing. Alternatively, you can find in Polish stores, envelopes with sour soup seasoning called ‘Borș Magic’.

Peach Pizza

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This Peach Pizza is full of bold flavors that pair beautifully together. Topped with fresh peach, Canadian bacon, Gorgonzola cheese and Thai basil. My recipe comes complete with instructions on how to make your own pizza dough from scratch.

A medium size peach pizza, hot out of the oven

Peach pizza? What the?

I know you might be thinking, what in the actual …? Peaches on a pizza? Believe it or not, this turned out to be a wonderful combination of Gorgonzola and peaches, it’s a flavor combination that is out of this world! I do have to admit, I added a generous amount of Canadian back bacon as well, my way of sneaking pork onto what I consider a “girly frufru” pizza. Add a bit of fresh basil on top of everything and you might even get lucky that evening.

I’m talking to the men here, I’m assuming there are some men reading this blog: If you want to surprise your woman – make this pizza.

Ingredients

Keep scrolling down to the printable recipe card for FULL ingredient amounts and instructions, don’t ask stupid questions.

  • Olive Oil – I used Extra Virgin.
  • Cheese – Classic mozzarella, shredded – for the base and blue cheese or Gorgonzola – whatever, crumbled for the top!
  • Bacon – Canadian style bacon or simply ham, sliced or cubed.
  • Peach – Obviously we need this for a peach pizza. Unpeeled, thinly sliced.
  • Basil – I used a bunch of Thai basil leaves because that’s what I like.

Pizza Dough

You can make or buy your own pizza dough for this recipe! If I were you, I’d use my pizza dough recipe, it’s easy and fool proof and you can also brag about how you made your own dough from scratch, which is a bonus in my books.

How to make peach pizza

  • Preheat Oven – Preheat oven to 500° F / 260° C
  • Assemble Pizza – Roll out the dough and place it on a pizza tray. Brush with 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil and top evenly with shredded mozzarella cheese then Canadian bacon, Gorgonzola and peach slices.
  • Bake – Bake for 10 minutes or until the crust goes brown.
    • Note: There is also the option of baking it for 5 minutes without the peach slices and then adding them in the last 5 minutes of baking but is a matter of choice, I really loved mine toasted.
  • Finish & Serve – Season with loads of pepper and top with a few basil leaves. Eat it.

How to serve

Ok so it’s a pizza.. I think you know how to serve it.

If you DO want another tip, because I’m full of them and I’m in a giving mood, you can also sprinkle some balsamic reduction over the top, or if you’re a die hard fan like I am, some Frank’s Red Hot Sauce.

You’re welcome, Im such a peach! (get it?)

How to store leftover pizza

If you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Peach Pizza

This Peach Pizza is full of bold flavors that pair beautifully together. Topped with fresh peach, Canadian bacon, Gorgonzola cheese and Thai basil. My recipe comes complete with instructions on how to make your own pizza dough from scratch.

  • 1 tsp olive oil (extra virgin)
  • 1/2 cup mozzarella (shredded)
  • 3 oz bacon (Canadian style or simply ham, sliced or cubed)
  • 1 oz blue cheese (Gorgonzola or whatever, crumbled)
  • 1 peach (unpeeled, thinly sliced)
  • a bunch of Thai basil leaves

  1. Preheat oven to 500° F / 260° C

  2. Roll out the dough and place it on a pizza tray. Brush with 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil and top evenly with shredded mozzarella cheese then Canadian bacon, Gorgonzola and peach slices.

  3. Bake for 10 minutes or until the crust goes brown. There is also the option of baking it for 5 minutes without the peach slices and then add those in the last 5 minutes of baking but is a matter of choice, I really loved mine toasted.

  4. Season with loads of pepper and add few basil leaves. You can also sprinkle some balsamic reduction or you can serve it the way it is. Since I am a dude, I used some Frank's Red Hot Sauce here and there and it was amazing.

You can make or buy your own pizza dough or you can use a ⅓ piece of my Easy Pizza Dough Recipe. That’s what I did here.

Panzanella Salad

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Panzanella Salad – Croutons, anyone? Crisp baguette, tomato, onion, celery, basil and bell peppers are tossed in a simple dressing. This popular Italian salad packs a punch in the flavor department, yet is made with only a handful ingredients!

Technically, this Panzanella salad is a bowl of flavorful croutons (or stale bread) – BUT, since it has an array of different veggies and a house made dressing, it’s a salad. Vegetables = Salad, it’s science. This panzanella salad is extremely simple to make and pairs well with almost any dish you can think of.

Not to mention – it’s crunchy, flavorful and different than all the rest! Say goodbye to boring salads. Although we are replacing lettuce with bread, it isn’t the healthiest “salad” but who cares? It’s more of a side to a big ol’ juicy steak anyways.

What is panzanella?

You might be reading this and saying to yourself, what in the heck is panzanella? What does it mean? Well..

“No one knows what it means, but it’s provocative – it gets the people going.”

Just kidding, I know what it means. Panzanella, otherwise known as “panmolle” is a Tuscan (Italian) chopped salad consisting of “stale” bread, onions, tomatoes (it can also include cucumbers and basil) and is dressed simply with olive oil, vinegar and a sprinkle of salt & pepper. This dish is extremely popular in the summer months at backyard BBQS with anything off the grill!

Ingredients

Keep scrolling to the recipe card for FULL ingredient amounts and instructions… don’t ask stupid questions.

  • Bread – French baguette or ciabatta, cut into 1-inch cubes.
  • Tomatoes – I used Campari tomatoes in mixed colors, but feel free to use what you’ve got!
  • Bell Pepper – Again, use your preference of pepper, you don’t have to be a sheep.. I used a red bell pepper, julienned.
  • Onion – Red Onion
  • Capers – For a nice salty bite.
  • Celery – Diced.
  • Olive Oil – Substitute sunflower oil, safflower oil or avocado oil.
  • Vinegar – I used plain ol’ white vinegar, use your preference.
  • Basil – Fresh is best! Coarsely chopped.
  • Salt & Pepper – To taste.

Note: My dressing is usually simple, as I don’t really like my salad to taste like my steak or vice-versa. However, if you’re feeling brave, replace the white vinegar with red wine vinegar, add some shallots and Dijon mustard and thank me later. 

How to make panzanella salad

  • Prep Bread – Cut the bread into 1″ (2.5cm) pieces and place on a tray. Leave aside in a warm place for around 30 minutes to dry for a bit or better yet, place it in the oven and toast it for a few minutes.
    • If you do decide to toast the bread, which is the quickest option – preheat oven to 350°F (180°C), toss bread cubes in a bowl with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, transfer to a baking sheet and bake until crisp. Remove from oven and let cool.
  • Mix Ingredients – Clean, chop, cut and slice all the ingredients. Mix everything together and season with salt and pepper.
  • Toss & Serve – Add olive oil, vinegar and croutons; toss lightly. Store in the fridge for 15-20 minutes and serve.

How to serve

You can serve it however you want, with whatever you want. Why not just make one for yourself and eat it right out of the bowl! Who’s stopping you? If you NEED an example: It can be served as a vegetarian dish on its own or it pairs deliciously with any kind of meat – steak, chicken, or better yet, my beer can roasted chicken!

How to store leftover panzanella salad

Ok, if I’m going to be honest, if you’ve already tossed your salad in the dressing, it will definitely lose it’s “toastiness” over time. This salad is best eaten day of, it’s so good you probably won’t have leftovers!

If you do have leftovers – store salad covered tightly or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days, no promises.

Panzanella Salad

Panzanella Salad – Croutons, anyone? Crisp baguette, tomato, onion, celery, basil and bell peppers are tossed in a simple dressing. This popular Italian salad packs a punch in the flavor department, yet is made with only a handful ingredients!

  • 1/2 French baguette or ciabatta cut into 1-inch cubes ((2 cups))
  • 1 lb tomatoes (Campari mixed colors)
  • 1/2 red bell pepper (julienned)
  • 1/2 red onion
  • 2 tbsp capers
  • 1 celery stalk (diced)
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp white vinegar
  • 0.19 oz basil (about 10 leaves coarsely chopped)
  • 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
  • 1/2 tsp pepper (or to taste)

  1. Cut the bread into 1" (2.5cm) pieces and place on a tray. Leave aside in a warm place for around 30 minutes to dry for a bit or better yet, place it in the oven and toast it for a few minutes.

  2. If you decided to toast the bread, then preheat oven to 350°F (180°C), toss bread cubes in a bowl with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, transfer to a baking sheet and bake until crisp. Remove from oven and let cool.

  3. Clean, chop, cut and slice all the ingredients. Mix everything together and season with salt and pepper.

  4. Add olive oil, vinegar and bread croutons; toss lightly. Store in the fridge for 15-20 minutes and serve.

My dressing is usually simple as I don’t really like my salad to taste like my steak or the other way around. However, if you feel brave, replace white vinegar with red wine vinegar, add some shallots and Dijon mustard and thank me later. 

Hearty Guacamole

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Hearty Guacamole – Simple and delicious homemade guacamole. Every bite is refreshing and full of flavor – The classic dip, only better because it’s my recipe.

Simple and delicious home-made guacamole, very refreshing and perfect side for any meal.

This hearty guacamole is made with a handful of fresh and simple ingredients, in just 15 minutes! Ideal for summer BBQs, a game day appetizer or even just a midday snack! Enjoy with fresh tortilla chips or add it to your favorite Mexican dish – there’s no wrong choices. I’ll admit, I could eat a whole bowl of this hearty guacamole with a shovel, but that would be insane so I stick to tortilla chips.

Although avocados are high in calories due to the fat content, guacamole is a great source of heart healthy fats – get it? HEARTY, HEART HEALTHY? Nevermind. This guacamole is delicious and that’s what matters. Enough talking, let’s get to it!

Ingredients

  • Avocado – Obviously, they’re the main ingredient. Make sure they’re pitted.
  • Tomato – Diced.
  • Jalapeno – Seeded and finely chopped.
  • Onion – We are going to use green onions, thinly sliced and red onion, diced.
  • Lime Juice – Freshly squeezed is always best! but store bought will work.
  • Salt & Pepper – To taste.

How to make guacamole

Only 3 easy steps!

  1. Prep Avocados – Peel and pit the avocados; add avocados to a bowl and lightly mash.
  2. Mix-In Ingredients – Add the tomatoes, jalapeno pepper, lime juice, red onions and lightly mix.
  3. Season & Serve – Stir well and season with salt and pepper as needed. Chill until ready to use.

What else can I add to my guacamole

If you want to stray from simple, be my guest! Here are a few other options you can add to your guacamole:

  • Black Beans
  • Garlic
  • Corn
  • Cheese
  • Cumin
  • Cayenne
  • Black Olives
  • Paprika
  • Cilantro
  • Tajin
  • Red Pepper Flakes
  • Hot Sauce

How to serve

This should be obvious, who hasn’t eaten guacamole before? For those who live under a rock and have just emerged into the sunlight for the first time, you can serve this with tortilla chips, pretzels, crackers, bread or any dipping vessel of your choice! An alternative, serve it with tacos, quesadillas, nachos etc. You know the drill.

Storing leftover guacamole

Store leftover guacamole in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Hearty Guacamole

Simple and delicious home-made guacamole, very refreshing and perfect side for any meal. You can also serve it as an appetizer or simply as a salad.

  • 2 avocados (pitted)
  • 1 tomato (diced)
  • 1 jalapeno (seeded and finely chopped)
  • 4 green onions (thinly sliced)
  • 1/4 cup red onion (diced)
  • 1 lime (juiced)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper

  1. Peel and pit the avocados; add avocados to a bowl and lightly mash.

  2. Add the tomatoes, jalapeno pepper, lime juice, red onions and lightly mix.

  3. Stir well and season with salt and pepper as needed. Chill until ready to use.

Beer Can Roasted Chicken

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Beer Can Roasted Chicken – An amazing Roasted Chicken recipe that surpasses any rotisserie you can find! Made in the comfort of your home, this chicken hosts a simple blend of spices that will surely satisfy.

Oven roasted chicken on a can of beer

Let me tell you, as soon as I heard beer & chicken, I was invested. Insert a beer can into the butt of a chicken and grill it? Now I’m REALLY interested. This beer can roasted chicken, is fall off the bone tender and is made with a simple blend of spices that still pack a punch in the flavor department.

Yes, I’ll admit – the chicken looks rather, let’s say.. ridiculous, poached on top of a beer can. Everytime I make this I’ve been waiting for it to wave at me, but even though it does look rather silly, the half-full beer can will help keep the chicken moist and juicy on the inside, while still letting the chicken roast on the outside; making this the ultimate roasted chicken. You can never go wrong with meat and beer, but when combined? Perfection.

The best damn chicken out there

Why? Just look at it – it’s made with a BEER CAN! Let’s be honest here, I can think of so many jokes just by looking at it, but this roasted chicken is so damn good! Way better than anything you can find at the store or rotisserie. The best thing about this chicken? You get to drink the beer! Just kidding, the best thing about this recipe is how customizable it can be! Use your favourite blend of spices, kick up the heat or heck, even throw in some maple syrup for some added sweetness. Just like the beer you choose, the choice is up to you!

Ingredients

  • Olive Oil – Substitute for canola oil, vegetable oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil or avocado oil.
  • Beer – Pick your poison! Any beer will work, just make sure to get extra for drinking purposes.
  • Chicken – We want a whole chicken for this recipe.

For the rub

Remember, this chicken can be rubbed with whatever you prefer, just don’t rub it the wrong way *wink*

What I used:

  • Oregano 
  • Rosemary 
  • Smoked Paprika 
  • Garlic Powder
  • Salt & Pepper
  • Chili Powder

How to make beer can roasted chicken

  1. Preheat Oven – Preheat oven to 425° F / 220° C. Place a roasting pan on a baking dish to prevent making an absolute mess of your oven.
  2. Make the Rub – Mix all the rub ingredients together.
  3. Beer Please! – Open the can of beer and pour about ¼ of it into the roasting pan, set the can of beer in the center of the roasting pan.
  4. Prep Chicken – Clean the chicken and remove any giblets ( if any ) pat it dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the rub over the chicken and use your hands to give it a good massage.
  5. Set It Up! – Place the chicken upright over the beer can and drizzle the olive oil over.
  6. Bake – Bake in the oven for about 1 hour and 15 minutes or until golden and cooked through.

Tips and tricks for the best beer can roasted chicken

If you want your beer can chicken to be better than the rest, follow these tips:

  • Don’t be scared of the spice! Really get in there and use your hands to rub the blend in all over. We don’t have hands for nothin’.
  • After you take the chicken out of the oven or off the grill, do not carve it right away! Sit back and crack a beer, let that chicken rest. In about 15 minutes, you’ll be finished your nice cold beer and you will have extremely juicy and moist chicken ready and waiting.
  • Use a meat thermometer to check if your chicken is cooked through. This will help you out immensely if you aren’t an expert.
  • Experiment with your spice blend. Be original, stand out! You don’t have to use my spice mix combination, make this chicken to your liking.

How to serve your roast chicken

This chicken goes with anything you choose to serve it with! I’m not going to tell you what to eat, but I like to serve it with mashed potatoes and a salad or a side of veg. Hey, who’s to say you can’t just eat this as is with a side of beer? Not me!

How to store leftovers

Store leftover roasted chicken sealed tightly in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Beer Can Chicken

Beer Can Roasted Chicken – An amazing Roasted Chicken recipe that surpasses any rotisserie you can find! Made in the comfort of your home, this chicken hosts a simple blend of spices that will surely satisfy.

  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 can beer (any)
  • 1 whole chicken

For the rub

  • 1 tbsp oregano (dry)
  • 1 tbsp rosemary (dry)
  • 1 tsp paprika (smoked)
  • 1 tsp garlic (powder)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1/2 tsp chili (powder)

  1. Preheat oven to 425° F / 220° C. Place a roasting pan on a baking dish to prevent making a total mess of your oven.

  2. Mix all the rub ingredients together.

  3. Open the can of beer and pour about ¼ of it into the roasting pan and set the can of beer in the center of the roasting pan.

  4. Clean the chicken and remove any giblets if it has any and pat it dry with paper towels. Sprinkle over the rub and use your hands to give it a massage.

  5. Place the chicken upright over the beer can and drizzle the olive oil over.

  6. Bake in the oven for about 1 hour and 15 minutes or until golden and cooked through.

Easy Pizza Dough Recipe

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Easy Pizza Dough – Free yourself and your wallet from pizza delivery! Make your own pizza dough at home following this fool proof recipe.

Two balls of easy to make pizza dough

Whenever I used to think about making pizza, the thought of making my own dough held me back, but not anymore! This easy pizza dough recipe is now my go-to; tried, true and never fails. It’s fast and easy to make – a fool-proof recipe, if you will. Another bonus? You have the option to let it rise or not.

Say goodbye to ordering over priced, “meh” quality pizza – nothing beats homemade, in my opinion. You and your wallet can thank me later in the comments! This recipe is full of tips, tricks and instructions on how to make your very own custom pizza, right in the comfort of your home.

Ingredients

Keep scrolling down to the printable recipe card for FULL ingredient amounts and instructions, don’t ask stupid questions.

  • Yeast – Active dry yeast.
  • Sugar – Regular granulated.
  • Water – Make sure it’s lukewarm.
  • Flour – Using trust all purpose flour for this one!
  • Olive oil – Substitute canola, sunflower, safflower, avocado or soybean oil. Keep in mind it won’t have the same flavor.
  • Salt – I don’t need to explain this one.

How to make easy pizza dough

  1. Activate the Yeast – In 1½ cups warm water pour sugar and yeast; let yeast activate for 5 minutes or until becomes frothy.
  2. Mix – In the bowl of your mixer, add the flour, salt and olive oil and using the dough hook, mix for about a min. Pour the frothy yeast to the flour mixture and mix until well incorporated.
  3. Shape – Shape the dough into a ball and place in an oiled bowl, rub some more oil on it, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate or use right away.

Notes:

  • If you’re not using the dough right away, you can freeze it! (See below for freezing instructions) The quantity that you get after making my recipe, will be enough for two large pizzas, about 16″ in diameter, or three medium approximately 10″.
  • If you notice that your dough comes out a bit too hard, just add some water but no more than another half cup.

The perfect pizza crust

Personally, I like my crust very thin and not very crispy because I would rather enjoy the toppings than fill myself with bread. However, if you like the puffy/fluffy style, let your dough rise for about an hour or more.

How to stretch pizza dough

If you’ve ever wanted to imitate someone who works in a traditional pizzeria – you know, where they toss the dough into the air, twirl it, spin it; now is your chance to give it a shot. There are no guarantees that it won’t end up on the ceiling BUT here are some tips that will help you fake it ’till you make it.

  1. Room Temperature Dough – I know this may sound like common sense but, many people do not possess the trait. If you store the dough in the fridge, when you take it out to make your pizza, you’ll find that it is tough to handle and stretch. Leave it at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before trying to roll it out. Gluten gets tighter in cold conditions, so give the dough time to loosen up.
  2. Don’t flour your workspace – If anything, add a bit of olive oil to your workspace to avoid the dough from sticking. Adding extra flour will make your pizza dough tough, so avoid the temptation.
  3. Stretch the dough with both hands – We don’t have hands for nothin! If you find that your dough is hard to roll out, use your hands to pull the dough hand pulling and get an even crust.

Can I make this dough in advance?

Fridge

You can store your pizza dough in the fridge (in an oiled bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap) for up to 2 days.

Freezing Your Pizza Dough

Bonus! This dough freezes fantastically. Wrap the dough in individual balls with plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to use, thaw at room temperature.

How to serve

Do I really need to answer this one? I mean, anybody can come up with a bunch of toppings and a sauce, right? Add your prefered toppings, sauce and go to town – it’s YOUR pizza, I’m not going to tell you what to put on it.

How to make Pizza

Just in case you need help cooking the actual pizza, I’ve got you covered:

Preheat your oven to its highest temperature. You can use a pizza stone or a baking sheet, just make sure you spray some cooking spray over the baking sheet or else you’ll end up sad and disappointed. *If using a pizza stone, make sure to heat it up first.

Once you have your custom made pizza ready to go, bake it for 8 to 10 minutes or until the crust is golden to dark brown.

Easy Pizza Dough Recipe

Easy Pizza Dough – Free yourself and your wallet from pizza delivery! Make your own pizza dough at home following this fool proof recipe.

  • 21/4 tsp yeast
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 11/2 cups water (lukewarm)
  • 4 cups flour (all purpose)
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt

  1. In 1½ cups warm water pour sugar and yeast; let yeast activate for 5 minutes or until becomes frothy.

  2. In the bowl of your mixer, add the flour, salt and olive oil and using the dough hook, mix for about a min.

  3. Pour the frothy yeast to the flour mixture and mix until well incorporated. Shape the dough into a ball and place in an oiled bowl, rub some oil on it, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. If you’re not using the dough right away, you can also freeze it.

Delicious Banana Bread

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Classic Banana Bread recipe with a tender, moist crumb and rich banana flavor, it will definitely make your breakfast memorable… or dessert!

Delicious slices of banana bread topped with butter.

Banana Bread

What is so awesome about banana bread? It is very fast and easy to make, tastes great and you don’t have to throw away those bananas that you forgot to eat last week :). Oh and forget about butter spread, works best with Nutella and a glass of warm milk but it looked better in the picture. Enjoy!

Ingredients in Banana Bread

Remember those browned bananas that you kept throwing away because nobody likes them? Well, you can stop that now because they are perfect for my banana bread. In fact the secret consists in them being as ripe as possible.

You can use white sugar or brown sugar or maybe a bit of both, like my recipe requires but for any other sweeteners, you are on your own. As far as some of the ingredients go, banana bread is quite a versatile recipe and you can pretty much let your imagination go wild. Did I mention nuts? Well, no, because there aren’t any but you can add if you feel so inclined. Baking soda and baking powder will make your loaf quite fluffy, compared to other recipes that I have tried and sour cream will add a bit of moisture to the final product. Personally, I don’t like it too moist but to each is own, right?

The rest of the ingredients are pretty basic, thought you can experiment with some melted chocolate, peanut butter, chocolate chips, dried fruits (maybe), or you can go ‘nuts’. Figure that one out!

The four major steps for making the most delicious banana bread

Making Banana Bread

Tomes filled with never ending instructions were written about banana bread since the beginning of time. Unfortunately, I like to keep things as simple as possible in my kitchen, so if you were waiting for a novel… nu such luck.

  1. Mix everything together in a large sized bowl – preheat your oven to 350° F/180° C.
  2. Bake for 45 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean (from the bread of course duh!)
  3. Let rest for a bit then slice and go… Nutella!

Delicious Banana Bread

Classic bread recipe with a tender, moist crumb and rich banana flavor, it will definitely make your breakfast memorable.

  • 3 bananas (ripe, mashed)
  • 1/2 cup white sugar (granulated)
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar (granulated)
  • 1/3 cup unsalted butter (softened)
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 cups flour (all-purpose)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp cinnamon (ground)
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1/8 tsp salt

  1. Preheat oven to 350° F / 180°.

  2. Mash the bananas then add all other ingredients except flour and mix well for few minutes.

  3. Now you may add the flour and continue mixing until all is well incorporated.

  4. Pour the batter in a greased bread pan.

  5. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, or until you insert a toothpick in the center and it comes out clean.

  6. Let it cool inside the pan for few minutes then move onto a wire rack.