Faux Fried Chicken for the Lighter Set

or crunchy comfort food goodness on a "stick"

When I think "comfort food" I think popcorn, marshmallows, tomato soup, mac and cheese, and - of course - fried chicken.  What could be better to cure a foul mood then that crispy, irresistible skin containing the juicy goodness of perfectly seasoned chicken?  Maybe adding in a side of veggies or potatoes doused in butter, really the side selection doesn't matter too terribly much as long as it is properly doused, and hot rolls fresh out of the oven.  Mmmmm..  I'm feeling better already...


Sadly as delicious as this meal is, and trust me it truly is, you just can't dive into a plate of fat and carbs every time frustration or hostility start peaking their little heads around the corner and waltzing into your life.  To keep things in moderation I try to limit this type of meal to full on train wreck mode.  So what do I do when my bad mood just isn't quite foul enough to warrant a full on fat indulgence?  I fake it.  Just as acting "happy" can actually help improve your mood, if you can tolerate yourself long enough for it to take effect, a well planned comfort food knock off can give you a little bit of that soothing feeling without all the regret that settles in just in time to mess with your late night popcorn snack plans.  This isn't the healthiest of the "fake" fried chicken recipes out there, but I find it has a nice balance between the crispy crunchy fat dripped deliciousness of true fried chicken and the non-greasy oven baked alternative.  Plus, if you want to kick it up a notch and still not fully indulge, just use the whole eggs instead of the egg whites and toss in a splash of heavy whipping cream in place of the milk.  Don't worry, I won't tell. 

Chicken drumsticks - 6 to 8
Panko bread crumbs - 1½ cups
Low Fat Parmesan Cheese - 1/4 cup
House spice blend
Flour - ½ cup
Egg Whites - 4
Low Fat Milk - 3 tbsp
Kosher salt - 6 tbsp
Parsley - 4 tbsp

View full recipePreheat oven to 350°

1. First of all, you have to be prepared.  Create a breading station with 3 separate containers: flour, egg whites and milk (whisked together), then the Panko mixed with kosher salt and parsley.  Line everything up with the plate of chicken at one end followed by the breading station (in the aforementioned order) in the middle and a baking sheet prepared with a layer of aluminum foil and sprayed with olive oil at the end.

2. Working from the front of the line.  Season all of the chicken evenly with the spice blend.

3. Then, one at a time: dredge the chicken in flour, gently shake off any extra, then carefully coat each one in the egg mixture, take a moment as you lift it out to allow the excess to drip off, and finally roll in the Panko mixture turning and pressing to ensure that it sticks as much as possible.  Surface area coverage is essential here, so take care not to rush through things.  The moistness of the chicken is at stake, don't say I didn't warn you if you carelessly toss things around and end up with half coated, dry chicken.  I'm just saying...

4. Once the stations have been completed, place the chicken on the prepared baking sheet and spray the tops lightly with olive oil.  Bake for 20 min then flip and continue to bake for an additional 10-20 min, or until the outside is crispy and the internal temperature is 170°.  If the outside isn't quite crispy enough when the internal temperature is reached, don't worry - just turn the oven to broil and keep an eye on it as the outside catches up.

Now I realize that the picture isn't of the drumsticks version of the recipe, but I wasn't quick enough last time I made them to snatch a picture before they were gobbled up.  What this does show, however, is the same recipe made with boneless skinless chicken tenders (an even healthier alternative I'd like to add).  All you need to do to adjust the recipe is to shorten the cooking time, it will be closer to 10 min per side but it really depends on the thickness since tenders can cook really fast.  You will most likely need to broil them a bit at the end to reach the necessary level of crispiness to satisfy my tastes, but we're all different so the texture may just be perfect for you.  Crisp to your heart's content, just don't burn (nobody really likes that).  Give it a shot, it's a healthier version of one of my favorite comfort foods that even the kids can enjoy.  Top it with hot sauce, dip it in (low fat) Ranch dressing, the world is yours to experiment with - I would just avoid the melted butter or people may begin to doubt your healthy intentions.  Enjoy!

Chicken Infused Tortilla-less Soup

or how to make soup and make do with what's on hand.

Sounds funny, I know, but I didn't plan this one out so well.  I know, shocking, right?  You don't have to pretend, I realize I'm not always the most prepared for random adventures in the kitchen (it's even worse when I'm so focused on cooking for an upcoming holiday that I all but neglect the days in between when grocery shopping).  So when I decided that I wanted to make something special for my husband who was running about town finishing errands we didn't get to over the weekend I had to improvise a bit. 
He was planning on coming home and making steak fajitas that he had marinating over night using this delicious recipe (substituting cola for lemon juice) so I thought that chicken tortilla soup would be perfect!  Only problem - no chicken and the tortillas were reserved for the aforementioned delicious fajitas.  Oops.

Since I had already started cooking before I fully looked into the existence of the ingredients that I needed I figured I'd just roll with what I had and see what happened (a concept I am desperately trying to apply in other areas of my life as well, but one step at a time and the first step - soup, sans chicken and tortillas).  So I resumed tossing things into the pot while multitasking and cleaning out the refrigerator, we are getting ready for a holiday after all, cooking is no reason to slow down!  Though, in retrospect, slowing down is often a good idea.  It's better to do it yourself before your body doesn't give you a choice and you collapse on  the couch at nine at night.  Not that I know from experience or anything...  The moral?  Take it easy, roll with what you have on hand, and eat delicious soup.  Now let's go!

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups chicken broth (or 3 tsp chicken base and 3 cups water, chicken base is liquid gold you seriously need to try this stuff)
1 cup milk
1 can condensed cheddar cheese soup

1 jar salsa
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder

2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp dried minced onion

salt and pepper – to taste



1. Melt the butter in a medium sized stock pot over medium heat and stir in the flour to create a roux (a fancy name for a kind of a golden paste that forms when the butter and flour are completely mixed together in equal parts).  Stir continuously for a couple minutes, do not allow it to turn dark.


2. Slowly start to stir in the chicken stock (or water if you are using chicken base).  Make sure to add about a cup at a time and wait until it is fully incorporated before adding more, you don't like to be rushed and soup doesn't either so a little patience goes a long way in this part.  Take some deep breathes and enjoy the aromas, allow it to soothe you as the time slips by.  Better?  Ok.  If using chicken base you'll want to add that now, also stirring a bit to incorporate.


3. Now add in the seasoning and dried onion, mix well.  The bits of onion will seem to almost disappear as they absorb the moisture.  

4. Next stir in the milk and condensed soup, their thickness should balance out a bit once combined, and then add the salsa.  For salsa you'll want to use one that has a spice level that you enjoy, I used homemade salsa that I canned over the Summer in this case but if I didn't have any on hand I would tend towards mild or medium since I'm not really a "heat" inclined sort of girl, you need to go with where your tastes lead you on this one.  


5. Turn the heat down to medium-low and stir occasionally for about 20-30 min, careful not to let it boil.  Adjust spices to taste as you go.

Serve as is or top with some shredded colby jack cheese and a drop of sour cream.  This is a perfect compliment to the steak fajitas, and a great main dish for lunch the next day.  A pretty reasonable base recipe I think, take it in whatever direction you wish - if you want to add chicken to make it heartier or switch out the chicken base for a non-meat alternative for a vegetarian dish - it's up to you.  The world is your tortilla, so to speak.  Cheesy, I know, but who doesn't love a little cheese now and then?  Enjoy!

Apple Cobbler-ish Tart-ish Delight

or a half risen, half sweet, completely tasty breakfast dessert

So, what's the best part of cobbler?  The delicious doughy sweet topping of course!  And what have I been craving lately?  You guessed it - cobbler - but not all of the cobbler, just the top.  As I was reminiscing about picking away at the tart cherries that were always nestled so nicely in this delicious dish each Spring after we went cherry picking, I began thinking - what else can I do with that doughy goodness?  As much as I'd love to make just a large dish of the topping, and trust me I've considered it, I really did want to make it a little more universally appealing.  Because no one, even me, should sit down and tackle a dish of that all by themselves.  So to force moderation I was determined to transform it in a way that other people would enjoy it too.  Remember - momma always taught you it's only polite to share. 

So where were we... oh, right!  Tart cherries are nice, but the tangy bite in their flavor can be a bit much for me when I'm really craving some comfort in my breakfast.  My mom's recipe suggested raspberries but I suspect I may have a similar problem with them, plus they are distinctly out of season and therefor not found anywhere in my house.  So, what did I have in the house?  Apples.  Lots and lots of apples.  Not only did I have a bag of Gala apples sitting on the counter, but I also had about 8 jars of sliced baking apples (Northern Spies and Gala mixed, no real reason, those were the seconds they had at the orchards this year).  So now toss into the equation a bit of the end of the weekend laziness, and wouldn't you know it - those apples are still sitting on the counter and we are down to 7 jars of baking apples.

These thinly sliced apples do not carry the same weight as tart cherries so I expected a bit of difference in the resulting dish, and I was not disappointed.  The magical process of the lower layer of dough rising victoriously through the cherries to form a golden delicious crown over the top was not exactly where this dish ended up going.  When it came out of the oven, cooked to golden delicious perfection, the slices of apples were nestled nicely in the top half of the dough.  The beauty of this?  Once cooled to room temperature, this is easily sliced into sections that can be picked up and enjoyed sans fork!  It'll be sticky, but definitely worth it. 
Check it out:

Butter - 1/4 cup
Flour - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 cup
Milk - 1 cup
Sliced apples - 1 1/2 - 2 cups

Hardware: 8" round baking dish



1. Add the butter to the baking dish and place it in the oven.  Turn it on to preheat to 350 degrees.  Keep an eye out over there to check on it while you toss the rest together.  You want the butter to melt and brown a bit, not burn.  So don't neglect it, comfort food can't really be made without a bit of doting here and there anyway.

2. While that is happening, get out a medium sized mixing bowl and add in the flour, sugar, and milk.  Stir well to combine, ease out any large clumps as you go.

3.  When the butter is ready, take the dish out of the oven and set aside to cool for about 5 minutes.  Once the appropriate amount of time has passed, evenly pour in the batter. 

4. Top with the sliced apples.  If you are using fresh apples you will want to drizzle about 2 tbsp of apple juice over top.  If you are using canned apples, homemade or otherwise, you'll want to use only a couple tablespoons of the syrup they are stored in so you may need to drain them first over a bowl so you can get a better idea of how much is going in.  I only use a small amount of light syrup when I do my home canning so I just dumped the jar out over the batter.  Evenly of course.

5. Bake for 45 - 60 minutes.  Or until the crust starts to rise up amidst the apples and the top gets a nice golden tint overall.  I use a clear glass dish, if you do as well you'll also notice a nice golden crust around the sides.

6. Remove and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing to serve.  If you want to be able to eat this as finger food, don't be embarrassed deep down we all really do, let it cool to room temperature before serving.  It's not terribly sweet so if you have a prominent sweet tooth you may want to sprinkle it with cinnamon sugar when it comes out of the oven, but for me the balance is perfect just as it is - perhaps with a bit of whipped cream on top...   mmmmm...

A Kielbasa for All Seasons

or drunken sausage on a Sunday afternoon

We have sausage from Poland, beer from Ireland, and cookware from the Netherlands..  I know what you're thinking - I've gone too far, the cultures are all mixed up.  "Not only can this not possibly work, but it's insulting to the purity of each cultural dish! Stop the madness!  Turn back while you still can!"  Wait!  Slow down, take a deep breath, rewind.  Feel better?  Ok.  Now - there's nothing wrong with mixing a few cultures together, none of us are particularly "pure" anyway, and it's not like we're launching a large scale invasion - we're just assisting in the marriage of some delightful ingredients into culinary bliss.  And who are we to judge?  If a kielbasa wants to soak alongside a pepper in a pool of beer, who are we to stand in their way?  It's all about equality here people.  That, and good food!  So now that we've made it through the social science lesson, I'll just step carefully off my soap box, and let's get on to the eats:

Where exactly am I going with this?  Someplace magical, someplace delectable, a place I like to call - Kielbasaland.  Where it is a sunny 70 degrees year round and happiness comes out of a pot in the form of delicious, juicy, flavorful sausage that simmers to perfection while you enjoy a lazy afternoon.  Or, as it was last Sunday, my house.  Closer to 68 degrees year round, and with one of those mood boosting SAD lamps I can definitely pull off the "sunny" part!  So let's just enjoy my fantasy together shall we?  Hmmmm... I can smell it now...

Kielbasa - 5, uncooked
Red bell pepper - 1/2
Yellow bell pepper - 1/2
Green bell pepper - 1/2
Yellow onion - 1/2
Minced garlic - 1 1/2 tsp
Beer - 4 bottles, Irish or any type you have on hand

Hardware: Dutch oven

This is so easy you'll giggle, or maybe that's just the beer talking...  Either way:

1. Place the kielbasa in the bottom of the Dutch oven and cover with half the beer.  Move them around a bit so they get comfortable and aren't looking too crowded.

2. Slice all the peppers into long thin pieces, kind of a thicker "julienne" style for you foodies out there.  Cut the onion into half rings and then add both the onion and the peppers to the pot.  Toss in the minced garlic and stir.  All the ingredients should be mingling nicely.

3. Bring to a simmer and then cover.  Continue to cook at a simmer for 4-6 hours.  Remember to come back periodically to stir, adjust the temperature, and add more beer.  The mixture should always be covered with liquid.  I do this on the stove top but it can also be done on the grill in the Summer if you are using a grill friendly dish.


4. When you are ready serve take out the kielbasa and sear slightly on a grill pan, grill, or cast iron skillet to give it nice crisp bite on the outside.  Once you get those grill marks established, return the kielbasa to the pot and stir to combine.  If you'd like to do the same with some of the veggies I'd recommend the grill pan rather than the open grill unless you have a disposable pan to toss them in, flame kissed is good - engulfed bad - just keep that in mind.  Serve on buns topped with a few of the accompanying veggies and some spicy relish.

I love this recipe because it works just as good mid-Summer as it does in the dead of Winter.  In warmer weather it's a kicked up grilling option that will have your family begging for more, and in cooler weather it's a perfect comfort food that fills the house with it's delightful aroma as simmers throughout the day.  Regardless of the season, this simple dish is sure to please.

You've probably seen or done a close version of this dish with the kielbasa's not so distant cousin - the bratwurst - and it is in no way my most original recipe.  What it is, is my take on a family favorite.  My parents did it up with Italian sausage or tossed in brats when friends were coming over, but my heart belongs to kielbasa - and as such, so does this recipe.  So give it a shot, a tweak or two to your own tastes, and enjoy!

Slow and Sweet Honey Ginger Chicken

or kicked up sweets in a weekday pantry dinner.

So, yeah, here we are again.  Back from a lovely vacation with absolutely nothing in the house to eat.  You've been there - pushing the trip up to right when you have to go back to work and then flat out refusing to end your time off with a trip to the grocery store madhouse on Sunday night to keep it from sucking out all the relaxation you managed to build up while away.  A quick run to the store after work on Monday yielded chicken thighs, three types of bread, and boneless pork chops.  Ok, not the best thought out trip but since I wasn't feeling well I considered it a success that I came home with anything!  Then I had drive through soup from the local Coney Island for dinner.  Don't judge, you know you've done it.

Back to work and it's day two: with my husband out working at their corporate office this week I couldn't rely on him to whip together some form of out of the box meal while I laid on the couch trying to recover from whatever this cold/flu season has so inconsiderately thrown at me, so I was stuck trying to come up with something the required minimal effort and could come magically from the nonperishable ingredients I still had in the pantry.  This time it actually helped that I was already hungry that morning.  I openned the refridgerator and pulled out the chicken and grabbed the soy sauce, rummaging through the pantry I came across some honey and rice vinagar, I grabbed the slow cooker out of the cupboard and set to work.  Ginger seemed like a likely compliment so I pulled it out of the freezer, I've found that a solid piece of fresh ginger keeps longer in a bag in the freezer and grates much easier - bonus - I get to add a little extra flair to my meals even when the supplies are running bare.  Then I set to work assembling what I hoped would be a satisfying dinner for the evening.  Definitely a different flavor than many of my meals but the sweetness of the honey with a bit of tang from the vinegar created a surprisingly subtle blend of flavors that I am now excited to make again.

6 chicken thighs, no bones or skin
3 tbsp dried minced onion
⅓ cup chicken broth
½ cup honey
½ teaspoon fresh grated ginger
½ tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp minced garlic
4 tbsp rice vinegar
¼ cup soy sauce 
Worcestershire sauce

Salt
3 tbsp ketchup

White rice

1. I prefer to use homemade chicken stock that I store frozen in muffin cup sized portions so it makes for a nice base to "stand" the chicken on at the beginning.  If you are using stock that is already in liquid form  it will work just fine, but you may want to spray the interior of the slow cooker with non-stick spray before starting.  Place the stock in the slow cooker first then add the chicken in a single layer.  Season with the salt, garlic powder, poultry seasoning, and ginger making sure you cover the chicken evenly.

2. Next add the Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, onion, and minced garlic. Cover the chicken evenly with the honey and sprinkle the rice vinegar over the top.  It should have a nice shine over the chicken.  Do not worry about mixing the sauce at this point, let each part have its independence and it will all come together in the end.


3. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.  If you are going to be around the house feel free to flip the chicken halfway through, not necessary but if you don't want the top to get a bit of the caramelized crispy texture from the honey (one of my favorite parts) then this would help.  The chicken will be moist either way.

4. Remove the chicken to a separate dish and drizzle some of the sauce over top.  In the slow cooker, turn it to high and whisk in the ketchup until well blended.  This should help thicken the sauce a bit.  Return the chicken to the cooker and spoon some of the sauce over each piece.  Continue to cook on high for 10-15 min while preparing the rice.

5. Serve hot over rice with extra sauce drizzled on top.



The chicken pulls apart on its own as you lift it out of the sauce, this gives it the opportunity to pick up even more flavor as it makes its way to the plate.  Add more or less sauce depending on how strong you want the flavor to be, and don't forget to add some salt or soy sauce to taste if needed.  I like to sneak a pat of butter between the rice and the chicken, you can't eat rice without butter right?  Or maybe that's just me... Anyway, serve it up as you wish, add your own little twist.  But most of all, as always, enjoy!

Suburban Shepherds Pie

or comfort food by the spoonful, your inner Irish would be proud

The leaves are falling, the winds have turned, the chill is in the air - oh how I love Fall!  And then WHAM! out of nowhere, the hot weather comes brazenly back in just in time to disrupt a lovely weekend of orchards, farmers markets, and pure Autumn joy.  But we didn't let that stop us, oh no we are far too stubborn for that, we embraced comfort food season full force with a weekend full of canning (apples, jelly, pickles, tomato sauce), a hearty Sicilian pasta dinner, and bowlfuls of heartwarming shepherds pie.

Satisfying both ends of the spectrum of my heritage (Sicilian and Irish) in one weekend is pretty fantastic in itself, but add to that the ongoing reward of canned tomato sauce and several eagerly anticipated lunches of leftover shepherds pie and you have a recipe for satisfaction in your stomach, heart, and soul.  Now with that in your corner, how could the week possibly go wrong?  Well, that's another discussion entirely, but for now let's savor the moment shall we?  I can smell it now..

It looks like a lot, but it's not that bad really.. most of this you'll probably have in your pantry waiting for you:

Ground Beef - 1 lb
Carrots - ½ cup, diced
Celery - ½ cup, diced
Onions - 3 tbsp, dried minced
Butter - 4 tbsp
Flour - 4 tbsp
Garlic - 2 tbsp minced
Red Wine - ¼ cup
Beef stock - 2 cups
Worcestershire sauce - 1 tsp
House spice blend
Paprika - to season the top
Nutmeg - a dash
Kosher salt - 1 tsp
Pre-made or left over mashed potatoes

Preheat oven to 350°

1. Brown the ground beef in a large pan, if it is very lean or if you are using ground turkey you may need to add a bit of oil. Toss in the carrots, celery, garlic, and onions and continue to cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally to prevent the browning from getting out of hand.

2. Next stir in the Worcestershire sauce, spice blend, salt, and nutmeg. The aromas should really be filling the kitchen right about now.  Add butter and as it melts mix in the flour, stirring to combine thoroughly, and cook for 2 minutes.  It will look really thick at this point, trust me that's a good thing, just be cautious to not let it burn.

3. Pour in the beef stock and red wine.  Stir to combine with the existing mixture so it looks consistent throughout and simmer, reducing until the mixture thickens again.  It will not be quite as sticky as it was with just the butter and flour, but it should cling momentarily to the the pan when pushed to the side.

4. Pour into a 9x11 casserole dish.  Top with mashed potatoes, this works best if they are at least room temperature, and season lightly with paprika.

5. Bake for 15-20 minutes. When done allow to set for 3-5 minutes before serving to allow it to firm up a bit, it helps the meat mixture to better bond with the potatoes.

Wait for it.. wait for it...  ok, dig in!  I highly recommend serving with bread and butter or fresh rolls to scoop up the sauce once the bowl is empty, and trust me - it will be empty.  It's a favorite of my husband's whenever cold weather hits, and a truer nod to our Irish heritage than my beloved corned beef and cabbage ever will be, I hope that you welcome it into your kitchen with the same loving embrace as we do in ours. With wishes of warmth and happy eating, enjoy!

Go with the Flow Potato Soup

or a spoonful of carbs helps the stress level go down (read to the rhythm of the classic Mary Poppins tune..)

This can not be good, there is no way that creamy delicious potato soup can be healthy.  Well, that may be true, but that doesn't mean that we can't at least take the sting off a bit with a couple "healthier" alternatives.  Remember - I only said a couple - but every little bit helps, right? 

I started the adventure with the bone from a pork roast I made a few days earlier.  I had been slowly making stock in the crock pot and was contemplating whether I wanted to freeze it or indulge in the newly arrived Fall season right off the bat with some type of soup.  As you can see, soup won.  So what exactly do you make with pork based stock?  Bean soup?  Split pea perhaps?  Not really in the mood for either, so I thought - what soups taste good with ham?  And there it was - potato!  And why not?  You often find bits of ham or crumbled bacon a top this rich, hearty soup.  So why did all the recipes call for chicken stock?  My guess - convenience.  But regardless, pork stock it was, and potatoes were the flavor of the day.  It's not terribly complicated, don't let the ingredient list fool you, just take it step by step and you'll be fine.

6 peeled and diced golden potatoes
2 leeks, finely diced
6 cups pork/ham stock
1 cup milk
4 tbsp butter
4 tbsp flour
1 tsp celery salt
1 tsp poultry seasoning
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground pepper
2 tbsp dried minced onion
1/2 cup diced slab bacon
1 tsp minced garlic

1. Combine the potatoes, spices (celery salt, poultry seasoning, garlic powder, pepper), leeks, and stock in a slow cooker.Stir well until they all "get familiar" and then let them settle while it cooks on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4.  Now go away.


2. When you are just about ready for dinner, about 30 min or so before, take out a potato masher and work out those potatoes until smooth in the broth.  You'll need to use it to pull the mashed bits from the bottom and sides as you work your way through the pot.  If you like chunks, take a cupful or two out first or simply add some new very small diced potatoes at this time. If you were cooking on low, turn the heat to high.

3. In a small pan, cook bacon with minced garlic and dried minced onion.  Drain the fat and add to the crock pot, stirring to combine.


4. In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly until thick and rich golden in color, about 1-3 minutes. Gently stir in milk, as not to allow lumps to form. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.  If you have some clumps popping up here and there just pull out your whisk and break them up with a few times around the pot.

5. Stir the milk mixture into the slow cooker, and cook soup until heated through. Serve immediately. Season with salt and pepper to taste, top with shredded cheese and sour cream if desired.

(The picture looks a bit orange, but that's more the lighting.  It is a warm, beige color in brighter light)

Well, we took out the cream and replaced it with a roux (flour and butter) so that should help, right?  I couldn't part with the slab bacon, but I'm sure it would still be good if you decided to make it without that as well in the interest of better health.  Now, I used homemade pork stock and it had some additional base flavors from the garlic and onion I cooked with it, so you may find that it needs a bit more of those flavors if you use a pure store bought broth.  

This made a lot of soup, but it turns out that I actually like it better reheated for lunch the next day, so I take that as a win!  Hopefully sometime this chilly weather inspires you to pull out your own crock pot/slow cooker and that you try your hand at this hearty soup.  It's heavy enough for a meal or a perfect compliment to a salad at lunch.  I hope you give it a shot in your own kitchen, with your own little twists, because that's where the true joy comes in cooking.  Enjoy!