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

Shrimp Scampfredo

Shrimp Scampi Alfredo

First, cook your pasta. The rest of this meal takes about 6 minutes to make...EZ baby!

Shrimp:

1 lb. fresh shrimp (all peeled and de-goobered)
1 fresh clove garlic minced
2 Tbs. green onion sliced
2 Tbs. butter or EVOO
1 Tsp. Lemon Juice
sprinkle of Red Pepper (you decide how much, in the South...it's a lot!)

Sautee garlic, red pepper and green onion in Butter or EVOO and lemon juice for 2-3 minutes. Add shrimp and cook for another 3 minutes or until shrimp is pink. (shrimp cook super fast) Remove this from pan to make alfredo sauce.

Alfredo Sauce:

1 1/2 C. Whip Cream (not whipped)
1/2 C. Parm Cheese
1 tsp. regular pepper
2 Tbs. Chicken Broth (optional)

Bring whip cream and broth to a slow boil and then reduce heat. Add cheese. Stir in a little pepper and then pour over your noodles - yum :)

~Jody

Chicken Avacado Pitas

4 whole pita breads (I used whole wheat)

2 tablespoons light olive oil

2 medium ripe avacados peeled and pitted

1 tablespoon lime juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

3 tablespoons finely chopped onion 

2 cups shredded monterrey jack cheese

2 tomatoes chopped / about 2 tablespoons divided

2 - 4 cooked chicken breasts thinly sliced

lightly brush each pita on both sides with olive oil and put in the oven on an ungreased cookie sheet for 5 - 10 minutes at 350 so they are crisp.  Meanwhile, mash avacado with lime juice, salt, garlic powder, and onion and the 2 tablespoons of tomato.  Spread avacado mix on each pita, then layer chicken, cheese and tomatoes on top.  Top with a little extra salt/pepper to taste and bake for 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted.  

(I make double the amount of Guacamole/Avacado mix and then use our tip we learned in Ensenada to keep the avacado pits in the container you store the Guacamole in so that it doesn't turn brown.  I put half on this dinner and then we have chicken fajitas the next night and use the rest of the Guac then - simple!  Recipe from the Taste of Home magazine but I altered it a bit :)

Jody

Chicken Stir Fry with Ham Fried Rice

This is an old standby but why not put it on here since I cook it about every 10 days :)

STIR FRY:

4 Chicken Breasts (diced)

1 Green Pepper cut in strips

1/2 Onion cut in strips

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Pepper

2 TBS Vegetable Oil or Olive Oil

1 TBS Sesame Seeds

1/4 to 1/2 cup of your favorite Oriental Sauce or Glaze (I use Iron Chef Orange Sauce Glaze with Ginger, I don't go cheap on the sauce because I mix it with a little water and make it last about 6 times or more)

Saute onion in oil in a hot skillet, add chicken, salt, and pepper and cook until chicken is no longer pink in center.  Add the sauce or glaze and green pepper strips or sugar snap peas.  Reduce heat and let cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, more if you don't like crunchy peppers or peas.  Sprinkle sesame seeds on top.    

HAM FRIED RICE:

3 Tbs Oil

2 Tbs Soy Sauce

1 Tbs Sugar

1 Cup Diced Ham

3 Tbs Green Onion chopped

2 Eggs, beaten

1/2 Cup Frozen Peas

2 Cups Cooked Rice

Heat oil and saute onion and ham in a hot skillet.  Add rice and peas then soy sauce and sugar.  Once all is cooked through add in the beaten eggs, stir until cooked through.  When I make more I usually just eyeball the recipe and add more of everything to go with more rice...

Jody

Peanut Butter Cup Surprise Cookies

Peanut Butter Cup Surprise Cookies

1 Cup creamy peanut butter

1 Cup sugar

1 egg

12 mini Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, unwrapped

36 mini marshmallows

1 Cup semi sweet chocolate chips

2-3 Tablespoons heavy cream

1/4 Cup mini M&M's 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place peanut butter, sugar and egg into a large bowl and mix until well combined. Scoop dough evenly into a 12 count mini cheesecake pan or mini muffin pan.Cook for 13-15 minutes until almost done. Remove from oven and press a peanut butter cup into the center of each cookie until flush with cookie top. Top each cookie with 3 mini marshmallows and return to oven for 2-3 more minutes or until marshmallows are puffed. Remove and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

2. Place chocolate chips into a microwave safe bowl and microwave in 30 second intervals until melted smooth. Stir in 2-3 Tablespoons heavy cream until silky and smooth. You can return back to microwave for 15 seconds to get a thinner consistency.Spoon chocolate over top of puffed marshmallows and sprinkle with mini M&M's.  YIELD:  12 cookie cups

NOTE:  I got this recipe off of a friends blog.  She had a link to Picky Palate which had the recipe.  They are really good.  Gretta enjoyed putting the M&M's on top :)

Jody

Oriental Chicken Salad YUM!

This is way easy and kind of a no-brainer but we make it at home once a week all summer.

1 Briannas Ginger Mandarin Salad Dressing

1 can La Choy Chow Mein Noodles

1 bag slivered almonds

cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes

red cabbage (we don't usually throw this in there but you can to look pretty)

romaine or iceberg lettuce enough to feed all

sliced up carrot (again, to look pretty and add another veggie)

6 or 7 chicken tenders (we buy the Tyson bredded tenders and use them so it's EASY) but you could totally grill some chicken breast too.

Make the salad, throw the chicken on top and try not to use the WHOLE bottle of Ginger Mandarin dressing I dare you.  It's so good, it's hard not to use a ton.  Also, if you were feeding kiddies, you could wrap this up in a tortilla and call it a chinese chicken wrap!

~Jody

Cookie Fruit Salad

1 C buttermilk (I used powdered buttermilk and added water as directed on pkg)
small instant Vanilla pudding
Mix together.
Fold in:
8 oz Cool Whip
cut up fruit: any kind, any amount i.e. sliced bananas, drained pineapple, grapes, sliced strawberries, drained mandarin oranges, etc.
Add 1/1/2 C chopped Fudge Striped Cookies right before serving.

At Jody's I made a double batch and used bananas, grapes, mandarin oranges and strawberries. I also used the whole package of cookies.

Grandma Linda

Tuna With Cheese Swirls

Tuna Mixture:
1/3 C green pepper, chopped
3 T minced onion
3 T oil
1 tsp salt
6 T flour
1 can chicken with rice soup
1 1/2 C milk
6 ounce can tuna
1 T lemon juice

Cook pepper and onion in oil until golden brown. Blend in salt and flour. Add soup and milk. Cook until thick, stirring constantly. Mix in tuna and lemon juice. Pour into greased baking dish approximately 9 x 9 inches.

Cheese Swirls:
1 1/3 C sifted flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 C shortening
1 egg
1/3 C evaporated milk
1/1/4 C grated cheese

Sift together dry ingredients. Cut the flour mixture into the shortening. Stir in egg and milk. Knead on floured board. Roll into a 12 inch squre. Sprinkle with cheese. Roll like a jelly roll, into a log shape. Cut into eight slices. Place slices on top of tuna mixture. Bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes or until browned.

Grandma Linda

(This came from the Standard Examiner's article "Mmm, mom food" on May 11, 2008. Originally it was from the 1966 cookbook, "Favorite Mormon Recipes: Meats."

White Bread

I always thought making white bread would be super hard, but its not :) I found this recipe in the Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook. My husband made it and it was so good, he helped me make it again!!!

5 ¾ to 6 ¼ C all-purpose flour
1 package active dry yeast
2 ¼ C milk or buttermilk
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon butter, margarine, or shortening
1 ½ teaspoon salt

1. Combine 2 ½ C flour & yeast; set aside. In a medium saucepan heat and stir milk, sugar, butter & salt just until warm (120 F – 130 F) and butter almost melts. Add milk mixture to flour mixture. Beat with an electric mixer on low to medium for 30 sec. scraping sides of bowl constantly. Beat on high for 3 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.
2. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (6-8 min. total) Shape dough into a ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to great surface of dough. Cover; let rise in a warm place until double in size (45-60 min.)
3. Punch dough down. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface; divide in half. Cover; let rest 10 minutes. Meanwhile lightly grease two 8x4x2 inch loaf pans.
4. Shape dough halves into loaves by patting or rolling. To shape by patting, gently pat and pinch, tucking edges underneath. To shape by rolling, on a lightly floured surface roll each dough half into a 12x8 inch rectangle. Roll up each rectangle, staring form a short size. Seal seams with your fingertips.
5. Place shaped dough halves in pans. Cover and let rise in a warm place until dearly double in size (30-40 min.).
6. Bake in a 375 degree oven about 40 min. or until bread sounds hollow when lightly tapped. Immediately remove from pans. Cool on wire racks.

Hillary B.

Hearty Twice Baked Potatoes

This is from Taste of Home Quick Cooking and was a 4th place winner. We really loved them. We used it as a main dish but are a great side, too.
8 large baking potatoes
1/2 pound bulk pork sausage (I used some pre-cooked patties and broke them up and browned them.)
1/4 C margarine, softened
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/2 C diced fulley cooked ham
6 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1 C (8 ounces) sour cream
1/2 C Italian salad dressing
Salt and pepper to taste

Scrub and pierce potatoes. Bake at 400 for 45-60 minutes or microwave, uncovered, on high for 12-14 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile in a skillet cook the sausage over medium heat until no longer pink, drain.
When potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut in half lengthwise; scoop out pulp, leaving a 1/4 in shell. In a large mixing bowl, mash the pulp with butter. Stir in the sausage, cheese, ham, bacon, sour cream salad dressing salt and pepper.
spoon into potato shells. Place on two ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 400 for 30 minutes or until golden brown. ( We were in a hurry so I popped them in the microwave for 2-3 minutes until the cheese was melted and they were hot.) Yield 16 servings.

Easy to cut down. Example for 3 potatoes, I used one sausage patty, 4 strips of bacon, 1/3 C chopped ham, about 1/2 C cheese, a scoop of sour cream and about 2 T Italian dressing. I mixed these all together in a bowl and then added it all to the mashed potatoes and then filled the shells. Yummy.

Grandma Linda

Chow Mein Chicken (or Pork)

This is easy and quite tasty. Works with either chicken or pork. You could probably substitute beef broth and hamburger or left over roast beef or use cut up and browned steak.

2 celery ribs, chopped ( I used 4-6)
1 medium onion, chopped (I did slices and cut them in quarters)
1/4 C butter
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
1/2 C chicken broth (I used closer to a cup since I used more celery)
1 Tbs soy sauce (I used 2-3 T)
3 C cubed cooked chicken (I didn't measure & used what I had left over)
1/2 C sliced fresh mushrooms (not me, no way!!)
1 3 0z can chow mein noodles
1/3 C salted cashew halves

In large sauce pan or frying pan, saute celery and onion in butter until tender. Stir in soup, broth and soy sauce. Add the meat (and mushrooms should you choose to). Heat through. Let it simmer down if it is too juicy.

Transfer to a greased 2 qt + baking dish. sprinkle with chow mein noodles and cashews. Bake uncovered at 350 for 15-20 min or until heated through. Serves 4. (What I made served 8)

I also cooked up a big pot of white rice and we served it over the rice. Good extender.

Grandma Linda (Taste of Home, The Best of Country Cooking)

Snickerdoodles

1 c. butter, softened
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/2-3 c. flour

Cream the butter, sugar, and eggs. Mix in cream of tartar, baking soda, vanilla, and salt, then mix in flour. Start with 2 1/2 c., but I usually add about 1/4 c. more to get the dough a little stiffer. However, it should still be somewhat soft; don't get carried away. Form a teaspoonful into ball and roll in sugar and cinnamon. Place on cookie sheet and bake for 9-10 minutes at 350 degrees. Do not flatten cookies. They will spread out as they bake. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Note: I must give credit where credit is due. I found this recipe on http://wickeworld.blogspot.com/ I came across her blog from a friend and have gotten the biggest kick out of her posts. So I have no clue who she is, but she’s really COOL and should you need a day brightener, check out her posts J
~Jody

Chicken a la Can Can

This is a really quick, easy meal. I got this recipe not long after we got married.
Make it on top of your stove in a large frying pan or similar pan.

1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 soup can water
1 1/2 soup can Minute Rice (or use 3 C cooked regular rice)[recipe calls for one can, but not enough to suit me!]
2 cans or 1 1/2 C cooked chicken (boned) or tuna or turkey

Mix together and simmer 10 minutes (might take a little more till it thickens up). Stir occasionally.
Top with French fried onions to serve.

Grandma Linda

Chunky Cinnamon Applesauce

8 medium tart apples, peeled and quartered
1 Cup water
1 Cup sugar
1/4 Cup red-hot candies

Place apples and water in a 5 qt. saucepan. Cover and cook over medium low heat for 20 minutes or until tender. Mash the apples. Add sugar and candies. Cook, uncovered, until sugar and candies are dissolved. Remove from the heat; cool. Refrigerate until serving. Yields 6 Cups.

This is so easy and delicious. You can leave out the red-hots if you want.

Kim Eastman

Wowie Maui Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
2 1/2 C chicken broth
1 1/2 C canned pineapple tidbits, undrained
1 1/2 C uncooked long grain white rice
3/4 C finely chopped carrots
1/2 C ketchup
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 C chopped green onion
1/2 C red or green pepper
2 T each of brown sugar, soy sauce, and white vinegar

In a large skillet, cook chicken over medium high heat until no longer pink. Add remaining ingredients to skillet, except green onions. Stir well. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low. Cover and simmer for about 25 minutes, until rice is tender. Stir in green onions during last 5 minutes of cooking time.

Chicken Pot Pie

Filling:
4-5 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed (or shredded)
Carrots (use canned or frozen)
Peas (1 C frozen)
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 C (1 can) chicken broth

Crust:
2 C buttermilk (buy the powdered kind that you keep in fridge and mix some up)
1 C butter, melted
2 C self-rising flour (or use regular flour and add 1/2 t salt and 1t baking powder for every cup of flour)

9x13 pan Put filling in then pour over crust mixture. Bake for 30 minutes at 425 degrees.

Kim Eastman

Ham Potato Scallop from Taste of Home

1 pkg. (5 oz) scalloped potatoes, a cheesy variety
2 C boiling water
2 T margarine
3/4 C milk
2 C fully cooked ham, diced or cubed
1 pkg (10 oz) frozen cut green beans
1 C cheddar cheese, grated

In an ungreased 1 1/2 qt. baking dish combine potatoes with sauce mix, boiling water, and butter. Stir in milk, ham, and beans. Bake 400 degrees uncovered for 35 minutes or until the potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with cheese.

This is a good way to use those boxes of scalloped potatoes that you can get on good sales. Good main dish with vegie included.
Kim Eastman

Tex-Mex Pork Wraps

2 1/2 lbs boneless pork roast
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 C BBQ sauce
1 red onion, chopped
2 small cans diced green chilles
1 T chili powder
1 t cumin
1 t oregano
flour tortillas, warmed
toppings, if desired, ie. shredded lettuce, cilantro, sour cream, diced tomatoes, green onion

Place everything in crock pot (except tortillas) on low for 8 hours. When it is done, shred meat with fork. Use slotted spoon when filling tortillas. Add toppings, if you want. Make Spanish Rice to serve with it.

Kim Eastman

Mandarin Orange Jell-O

1 C water
1 large (6 oz) package orange Jell-O
2 C orange juice
1 (15 oz) can mandarin oranges, drained
1 C whipping cream, plus sugar to sweeten

In a saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add Jell-O and stir until dissolved (2 min). Stir in orange juice; refrigerate until syrupy. (I have made it just fine without refrigerating until syrupy.) Stir in mandarin oranges. Pour into an 8x8 dish or large pie plate. Refrigerate several hours until set. Whip and sweeten cream; spread over top. Makes about 8 servings.

Kim Eastman (taken from Essential Mormon Celebrations- Halloween section)
We love this Jell-O. It is thicker than regular Jell-O.