Quick Gourmet - Balsamic Poached Chicken

This makes a rather sweet sauce, and it's delicious with simple vegetables like spring potatoes, asparagus or a mixed salad.

Another wonderful recipe from the Unemployed Cook.

2 to 3 boneless, skinless chicken breast fillets

1 1⁄2 cups chicken stock

1⁄2 cup balsamic vinegar

Salt, to taste

Black pepper, to taste

2 Tbsps brown sugar

1. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
2. Bring the stock and the vinegar up to a boil in a medium (2 quart) saucepan, add chicken, and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 15 to 18 minutes, turning once (cooking time will depend on the thickness of the chicken). Internal temperature should read 165°F when done.
3. Remove the chicken from the pan, and keep warm in a 170°F oven.
4. Turn heat up to high, add brown sugar, and reduce cooking liquid to about 1⁄4 cup (you may want to transfer all of this to a large shallow pan to speed up the evaporation rate). 
5. Slice the chicken thickly and spoon some of the pan sauce over it, and serve.

Kitchen Ready Soup - Lentil Soup

This is a great soup for me because it contains ingredients that are usually always in my kitchen. It's quick, tasty, and easy. The first time I made it was this past month, with my niece Isabelle, for our last meal together before she left us to, of all things, spend the summer with her parents! I know! Kids these days have their priorities all mixed up!
Addendum: I didn't have red lentils on hand, but I did have green lentils and tried the recipe using these as a substitution, and it was quite tasty. This makes the soup far more flexible!

1 large onion (10oz/285gr), chopped

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

4 garlic cloves (20grams), finely chopped

1 tsp ground cumin

1 bay leaf

2 sprigs of fresh thyme

1 1⁄2 cup split red lentils or green lentils

3 1⁄2 cups chicken (or vegetable) broth

2 cups water (add 1 cup more if you want it soupier)

1 tsp salt
1⁄2 tsp pepper

2 Tbsps chopped flat-leaf parsley for garnish

lemon wedges as accompaniment

1. In the soup pot, heat the oil and start by cooking the onion over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion has softened. This should take about 8 minutes.
2. Add the garlic, cumin, bay leaf, and thyme and cook, stirring, 1 minute more. Add the lentils, broth, water, salt, and pepper; simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are very soft and falling apart, about 30 to 45 minutes.
3. Optional - coarsely blend with an immersion blender.
4. Stir in the parsley and adjust the season until it tastes right to you.
5. Serve with a spritz of lemon to brighten the soup.