Easy Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Homemade (Sort Of) Chicken Noodle Soup

1 Rotisserie Chicken from Sams Club or Costco (or 2-3 chicken breasts cooked, then cut them up)
3 cloves garlic (minced)
1 medium onion (chopped)
6 cups chicken broth
2 cups sliced carrots
4 ribs celery sliced
1 bay leaf
1 tsp basil
1 can evaporated milk
Egg Noodles (I like the Country Pasta, Homemade Style Egg Noodles because they taste homemade)

Remove meat from rotisserie chicken and cut into bite sized pieces. In a little vegetable oil, cook chopped onion and garlic until it's soft and somewhat translucent. Add chicken pieces, stir. Add salt and pepper to taste along with bay leaf, basil and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat. Add celery and carrots, cover and cook on med-high heat until carrots are tender. Once carrots are tender, add evaporated milk and noodles. Cook until noodles are finished. Top with fresh parsley if desired.

Note: I've made this both with chicken breasts (that I cooked in the stock pot then followed the recipe from there adding onion and garlic, etc) and with a rotisserie chicken. It's amazing both ways, however, using a rotisserie chicken makes it taste AMAZING. Also, I've used both noodles and I've tried making bisquik dumplings in this and it's also good with both. Enjoy!

Jody Wright

Lemon Herb Zucchini Fettuccine

This is a recipe from my favorite cooking blog as of late - Our Best Bites. You can find them at www.ourbestbites.com
Seriously, in just about any pinch you can find a fabulous recipe from them!

LEMON HERB ZUCCHINI FETTUCCINE

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 lemons
2 T Red Wine Vinegar
Olive Oil
1/2 lb Fettuccine (that's just 1/2 of a normal box like in the picture)
2 medium zucchini
1 C shredded parmesan cheese (about :)
5-6 cloves garlic
Fresh Basil (about 1/2 C)
Fresh Oregano (about 1/4 C) If you don't have fresh oregano, just add a little dried.
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper

Prepare grill. You could also do this on the stove top in a skillet, or a grill pan.

Place chicken in a zip-lock bag with the juice of one lemon, a couple tablespoons of olive oil, and a couple tablespoons of red wine vinegar. Marinate for 15 to 30 minutes while you are preparing the rest of the ingredients.

Put the pot on the stove to boil water for the pasta. While you're waiting for the water to boil, slice the zucchini in half length-wise. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Press, or finely mince garlic cloves. In a small sauce pan on the stove, place 1/4 C olive oil and add garlic. Turn burner onto low-med heat. It shouldn't be popping and frying, it should just slowly warm, infusing the oil with the garlic and removing that zing fresh garlic has.

When water boils, add pasta and a spoonfull of salt

Remove chicken from bag and salt and pepper both sides. Place chicken, and zucchini on grill.

While chicken and zuchs are grilling and pasta is boiling, chop herbs and get out cheese. Zest both lemons and juice the one that hasn't been juiced.

See, now you're all ready. When everything is done cookin' you can throw it together! Keep an eye on that garlic. You DON'T want it to get brown and crispy. It should still look nice and white. Give it a stir. If it starts really cooking, just take it off the heat and set aside.

When zuch and chicken are done take them off the grill and chop 'em up.

Reserve about 1/2 C pasta water. Drain pasta and immediately place in a big bowl. Place chopped zuch and chicken on top. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, cheese, herbs, and garlic-olive oil mixture. Just pile it all in there. Then stick your face up real close and inhale. Ahhhh, heaven.

Honestly, this is amazing and tastes like Olive Garden or something better. Go make it tonight!

(photo courtesy to Our Best Bites)

Jody Wright