Beef and barley soup

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 pound lean beef stew meat,trimmed and cut into  1 1/2 inch pieces
Kosher salt
Pepper
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
4 carrots , peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 stalks celery, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
1/2 small rutabega (about 12 ounces) peeled and cut into  1/2 inch pieces
6 fresh thyme strips
Optional 2 bay leaves
10 cups water
3/4 cup pearl barley
in a large heavy bottom pot over medium high heat heat 1 Tablespoon oil. The beef should be seasoned with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. The beef should be browned working by batches 10 minutes total, then put in a bowl.

The heat should be reduced to medium  and add onion and remaining 1 Tablespoon oil and cook with it covered  and cook it with a cover  stirring occasionally  for 5 minutes. Then cook for 1 minute  after you stir in the garlic. Put in the tomato paste  and stirring cook one minute.

The beef and and any juices should be returned to the pot and add it along with carrots, celery, rutabega, thyme and if using bay leaves. Put in the water , 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer  1 to 1 1/2 hours until the beef and vegetables  are tender.

Cook the barley according to how the package says. Drain and put aside.

The thyme should be discarded and bay leaves too from the soup. Gently break the beef into smaller pieces using two forks then into the soup stir barley.

garlic shrimp with shells stuffed with feta cheese

oven should be heated to 400. from a 12 ounce box cook 16 jumbo shells and do it according to what the package says. Then this should drained and rinsed under cold water to cool. On the bottom of a of a large broiler proof baking dishes spread inb1 3/4 cups marinara sauce..

From 1 lemon take 3 strips of zest and thinly slice it.

Heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil, 2 large finely cloves garlic, the zest and 1/2 teaspoon  crushed red pepper flakes in a large skillet over medium heat  about 2 minutes or until garlic begins to brown.

Add about 2 Tablespoons  each of fresh lemon juice and roughly chopped  capers. And 1 roasted red pepper cut into 1/4 inch pieces and toss to combine. And these should be tossed to combine.

Take off the heat and stir in 1/2 cup marinara sauce. This should be tossed with 12 ounce large peeled and deveined shrmp quartered to coat. 2 cups baby spinach should be folded in with 1/2 cup fresh basil both roughly chopped. 1/4 cup crumbled feta and 1/2 teaspoon of both salt and pepper. Spoon about 1/4 cups each of the mixture into the shells then put them on the sauce . Then a 1/4 cup crumbled feta  should be sprinkled on top. Then put foil on  and this should be heated until the shells are heated through 12-15 minutes. Then heat the broiler. Take the foil off  and broil 2-3 minutes until the cheese begins to brown.

ham and chicken stuffed shells

 oven should be heated to 400 degrees.
16 jumbo shells should be cooked from a 12 ounce box by the way the package asks. After you drain them, cool them by rinsing them in cool water. The bechamel sauce should be made from the recipe that follows. All but 1/2 cup of the bechamel  sauces and should be spread on the bottoms of large broiler proof baking dish. The 1/2 cup bechamel sauce should be whisked together with 2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard  and 1 teaspoon Worcestshire sauce. This sauce should be tossed with rotisserie chicken. Then 3/4 cup grat e d Gruyere cheese  should be folded in along with 2 ounces  thinly sliced deli ham that is cut into 1/2 inch pieces, 1/2 small red onion that is chopped finely, 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon  and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. The mixture should be spooned into the shells, using 1/4 cup for each shell and then put the shells on top of the sauce. Combine 1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil and 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs in a bowl. Put it over the shells sprinkling it, the the shells should be covered with foil  and bake 12-15 minutes until shells are heated through.. The broiler should be heated. take the foil off  and broil 2-3 minutes  or until the cheese begins to brown

Basic Bechamel
Combine 2 cups whole milk, 1/2 medium onion, 3 large smashed cloves of garlic and 10 peppercorns in a small saucepan, occasionally stirring  then take off heat.  3 Tablespoons unsalted butter should be melted in a medium saucepan over medium low heat. 2 Tablespoons of flour should be stirred  in and then . The heat should be raised to medium and cook  while stirring until the mixture is light golden brown for about 3-5 minutes. . The milk should be strained of the solids and it should be about 3/4 cup at a time gradually whisked into the flour mixture. Stir often while simmering it until thickened 6-8 minutes. Take off the heat and season with 1/4  teaspoon each of salt and pepper.

tacos with shredded chicken from the Goya company

2 cans (8 ounce each) Goya Tomato Sauce
2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
2 teaspoons minced garlic
3 1/2 teaspoon ancho chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoon dry oregano leaf
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Goya Adobo All Purpose SEasoning with pepper to taste
2 Tablespoon Goya extra virgin olive oil
2 pounds bone in skin on chicken breasts
12 Goya Corn tortillas heated the way that the package says
The first 7 ingredients should be mixed together They should be season with Adobo then set aside

Over medium high heat heat oil in skillet.the chicken .should be seasoned with Adobo, cool until light brown flip once about5 minutes. The reserved sauce mixture should be added to pan bring to a boil be careful the tomato sauce can splatter.. the heat
Should be put on low.
Simmer with it covered the chicken should be flipped once until they are cooked through about  20 minutes until its temperature is 165 degrees.
Chicken should be put on cutting board the sauce should be res erved in pan. Remove and and throw out bones and skin. Two forks should be used  to shred the chicken stir into pan with sauce. This should be cooked over medium heat about 10 minutes or until mixture begins to caramelize.
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The chicken should be spooned onto tortillas to serve  Garnish with desired topping  like shredded lettuce diced tomatoes, and/or cheese