Who doesn't love a recipe that makes the mark to be tasty enough for the holidays with a hint of gourmet elegance, yet it's easy enough for a weekday? This chicken Florentine is just that!

It comes together quickly since it's pan-fried on the stovetop but it tastes impressive enough to serve to guests.

You'll find that the sauce has layers of flavor thanks to the white wine, shallot, parmesan cheese, garlic, and an abundance of spinach. Plus there's plenty of sauce so you can have extra for dipping with fresh bread or pairing with pasta alongside the chicken. You can even feel good about it since there's so much fresh baby spinach to balance the carbs and creamy sauce.

A helpful tip and reminder whenever cooking chicken breasts, just cook them right to 165 degrees in the center so you end up with juicy, tender chicken breasts (if overcooked they become dry and chewy, I highly recommend using an instant-read thermometer to test for doneness).

Creamy Cozy Mushroom Soup

So what is the secret to perfect creamy mushroom soup? Browning the mushrooms first. In my opinion it's the only way to make mushroom soup.

It's key to building up that golden brown, rich depth flavor. It also gives the soup a warmer more appealing color as well, rather than being a unappetizing dull grey. We eat with our eyes first after all.

While yes it does take 30 minutes of sautéing and makes the process go slower it's easily worth the effort. Trust me the patience pays of in the end result as it becomes a golden soup with perfectly tender mushrooms.

The other ingredients that highlight it are dry white wine to build up flavor, and a parmesan rind for a hint of cheesy goodness (never toss those things, they are great simmered in soups and sauces).

It is the best mushroom soup I've had and I'm hoping you agree!

Serve it with artisan bread for dipping and a simple side salad to complete the meal.

What is Bolognese?

Bolognese is a slow cooked, thick Italian pasta sauce made up of some type of minced meat (usually beef or pork) and tomatoes. It also includes soffritto which is simply a blend of carrot, celery and onion, and here it's used as a base to build up flavor of the sauce.

The process involves sautéing and gently simmering over the stovetop, and seasonings vary by recipe including things such as herbs, nutmeg or garlic.

Bolognese is pronounced in Italian boh-loh-nyey-zey and in English bow-luh-nayz.

Once it's lengthy simmer is over toss it with your favorite pasta and perhaps pair it with a simple green salad to complete it.

It is one of the ultimate home cooked comfort food recipes! Tended to with care that everyone will thoroughly appreciate.

Watch the Video!

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What is Braised Chicken?

The method of braising chicken is first browning it in a braiser, saute pan or pot then it's submerged in some sort of liquid such as wine or broth. From there it's either simmered low and slow on the stove or oven baked until chicken is cooked through and tender.

Here I've used a few not so traditional changes, such as not fully submerging the chicken in liquid and baking the dish uncovered. Why do this? Because why make chicken thighs with skin if the skin is not going to be deliciously crispy?

It's perfect this way, trust me!

This is a simple, one pan, deliciously seasoned dinner that you'll want to make time and time again all year round!

Best Potato Leek Soup

Potato leek soup is a popular soup in Welsh and French cuisine. It's made up of mainly fresh potatoes and leeks.

And even though it's smooth and almost sauce-like in consistency, it's still hearty and filling since it is potatoes that build up the base of the soup (and they have a moderate amount of carbs, starchy fiber, and protein - specifically proteinase inhibitor 2).

It is similar to the typical potato soups found in the U.S. and elsewhere but rather it's pureed instead of chunky, and doesn't included meat. Plus it has a chicken broth base and not milk. Then another main difference is of course the use of leeks versus commonly found yellow onions.

What is French Onion Soup?

Traditional French onion soup began as a humble peasant soup made with basic ingredients, and dates as far back as Roman times. It's an onion and stock based soup served gratiné style with toasted bread or croutons and cheese atop.

It is one of those soups that you maybe didn't appreciate as a child but have grown to really love an enjoy in all it's cheesy flavorful glory as an adult.

While yes it is a rather easy soup to make and it doesn't need very many ingredients, it does require a bit of time and tending to.

In other words patience is key. Have a little something to do nearby. Monitor the onions closely and you'll have an excellent, deeply flavored bowl of soup to serve.

To ensure success be careful that you don't burn and over-brown those onions or the frond (browned bits) on the surface of the pot (I've done this and it ruins the soup). Just monitor them as directed and deglaze the pot as directed.

And also don't stop short of beautiful caramelized, this will take about 45 minutes, no shortcuts.

It's all about slowly and gently caramelizing here. It's a game changer.

As for the shade of the onions to watch for it's all about a deep, richly golden brown color here (or even more so an auburn color) for the perfect soup.

This post is sponsored by Danish Creamery. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Chicken with the Best White Wine Sauce

Chicken breasts are pan seared until perfectly browned and tender. Then finely diced onions are sautéed until they've picked up some color. Next, bright white wine and chicken broth are added and simmered to concentrate their flavor. Last but not least, the sauce is polished off with rich butter.

And we don't just use any ordinary butter. Here we use the ultra delicious, extra luxurious Danish Creamery European Style Butter Danish Creamery European Style Butter which is slow churned in small batches for a velvety texture and rich flavor.

The unique thing I love about this butter is that they've been using the same recipe since 1985! Make it with high-quality cream and a touch of sea salt, and you'll see why this is better than your usual chicken recipes.

You'll also appreciate that the butter is packaged in foil so no off-flavors are imparted from the fridge. We just want that pure butter flavor without anything detracting from its excellent taste.

This butter not only makes excellent baked goods and buttered toast but it can also take your main dish up a notch as well. It's perfect for pairing with the vibrant flavor in this white wine pan sauce.

It's a memorable dish that will have everyone savoring each and every bite!

Pair it with roasted garlic mashed potatoes and steamed green beans or asparagus to finish it off. Fresh buttered rustic bread is a great option too.

Love this recipe? Also try my incredibly tasty Chicken Scampi!

Shrimp Scampi

This shrimp scampi is perfect for a weeknight dinner yet exciting enough for entertaining guests on the weekend. It's a simple dish made with a handful of flavorful ingredients that all come together and compliment each other perfectly. Plus, clean up is a breeze.

Here you get fresh pieces of protein rich shrimp sauteed to tender perfection and tossed in a garlic butter white wine sauce which is compliment with a bright a hint of lemon, and it's served over a bed of hearty linguine noodles.

Shrimp Scampi Video

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After one bite it will seem as though you stepped right into your favorite Italian restaurant. It’s a tempting restaurant quality dinner!

Enjoy all of the amazing flavors of this classic dish from the comfort of your home any time you want!

Maple Mustard Skillet Chicken Recipe

I've always had a thing for honey mustard sauce so obviously I'm going be in love with the maple mustard combo too. And something about it just says fall, right?

This chicken cooks in a flash and prep couldn't be easier! People often say they don't have time to make a nice meal but chances are all of us have 20 minutes to spare during the day at some point.

And that's just what it takes to make this simple chicken recipe.

Grilled Shrimp in Foil!

It's recipes like this grilled shrimp in foil (and these Shrimp Boil Foil Packets and these Shrimp and Couscous Foil Packets with Avocado Salsa) that finally made me into a shrimp lover. When it's flavored right and cooked right, sign me up!

Let's just put it this way, you neeeeed these Shrimp and Asparagus Foil Packs with Garlic Lemon Butter Sauce in your life! The flavors are spot on delicious and clean up couldn't be easier!

The way the rich and tangy lemon butter sauce is the perfect compliment to shrimp, and the fresh asparagus too.