Chicken Noodle Soup

On a cold day, sometimes this is exactly what you need.  When a friend made this for me with home made noodles, I never went back to store bought. Here is my version.  FLAMBO!

Home Made Chicken Noodle Soup

3 Boneless Chicken Breast
4 quarts water
1 stalk of celery, broken up into chunks
a few Baby Carrots
1 onion, cut into wedges
1 Bay leaf
about 5-6 peppercorns
salt

In a large pot, bring all ingredients to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 1 hours, till chicken is no longer pink.

Remove from heat and allow to cool.  Remove all solids from the water and place them in a small bowl.  Strain the cooking water and return to pot.  Break up the chicken into sizes that suit yourself, chop the carrots, celery and onion and return to pot along with the bay leaf.

Add 2 large cartons of a good quality Chicken Broth.  I use an organic brand, either Imagine or Pacific from the Health Food section in my grocery store.  Bring to a boil, then add a half pound fresh Broccoli, cut into small pieces or a 12-oz package of frozen Broccoli.  If you wish, peel and slice  carrots and add to the pot.  Bring to a boil.  (If you prefer to use canned sliced carrots, that works just fine)  Salt and pepper to taste.

Make a batch of homemade noodles (I use the recipe from Better Homes and Gardens cookbook). I prefer to use a lighter, not so heavy flour, such as White Lily.

2 1/3 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 beaten eggs
1/3 c. water
1 tsp.  extra virgin olive oil

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour and salt.  Make a well in the center of the flour mixture.  In a small bowl combine eggs, water and oil.  Add egg mixture to flour mixture; stir to combine until it is just barely sticky.

Sprinkle a clean kneading surface with flour (we use plastic cutting boards).

Divide dough in half. Roll out each section

then cut into strips, (we use a pasta cutter, but a pizza cutter or knife will do).

Cut down to sizes you prefer (we use a pizza cutter for this and add to the pot.

   Allow them to cook for a couple of minutes, absorbing the flavor of the broth. Serve hot.

Yummm…..this serves, with leftovers, my family of 5, which includes 1 insatiable teenage son, who eats more than one helping.

Whole Wheat Rolls

When my Katie was little, I found her banging my home made rolls on the table. Yes, Banging!! Then we later found that roll in my husband’s Cowboy boot.  I got the message.  My rolls were terrible and I have never mastered the art of edible dinner rolls.  My rolls qualify as NHL Hockey Pucks.

I have never given up the search tho, for the recipe that even this Queen of the Hockey Puck Roll can’t transform into something horrible!  It was in a coupon flier that came with the Sunday Paper a few weeks ago. I believe it was an advertisement for Fleishman’s Yeast.

Flambo!!   They turn out right every time.

Classic Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls

3/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 envelopes Fleishman’s RapidRise Yeast (I use 4 1/2 tsp yeast in a jar)
2 Tbl sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk (I use unsweetened Almond Milk)
1/4 cup water
2 Tbl butter or margarine
1 to 1-1/4 cups all purpose flour (I end up using about 1-1/2 cups)

**Combine whole wheat flour, dissolved yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Heat milk, water and butter until very warm (120 to 130 degrees). Add flour mixture. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed on electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally.  Ad 1/4 cup all purpose flour; beat 2 minutes at high speed.  Stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes.  Cover; let rise 10 minutes.

Divide dough into 12 equal pieces shape into balls.  Place in greased 8 or 9-inch round pan.*** Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled, about 30 minutes.****

Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until done. Remove from pan; brush with additional melted butter, if desired. Serve warm.

**I used my Kitchen Aid mixer, using the dough hook, allowing the mixer to knead my dough through the entire process, until smooth and elastic.  Flambo does not knead anything.  *;-.)

***I use a 9-inch square pan.

**** for a real treat, roll them in milk, or spray them with Pam, then dip the tops in, sesame seeds. or poppy seeds, garlic powder with italian herbs…the possibilites are endless.  Make them checkerboard style…

Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Onions and Pecans

I have been looking for a sweet potato recipe that I will make again, and I have found it in my local newspaper. It’s not sweet, it’s not gooey, it’s not mashed and it does not contain Marshmallows!  Flambo!!

Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Onions and Pecans

2-3 medium sized sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-2 inch chunks
1 large onion, cut into wedges
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3/4 cup chopped pecans
2 TBL olive oil
Salt and ground pepper to taste

Heat oven to 425 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine sweet potatoes, onion, garlic and pecans.    Toss with oil and season with salt and pepper.  Arrange on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes. 

Makes 6-8 servings.