Homemade Noodles for Chicken Noodle Soup

Once you make homemade noodles you will never go back.   There is nothing complicated or hard about this and it makes an amazing difference.

• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 Tablespoons milk
• 1 1/2- 2 cups all-purpose flour

Instructions

1. Mix eggs, milk and salt together until smooth.  Stir in one cup of flour until smooth. Add additional flour, just a small spoonful at a time, until the dough comes together in a ball, but is still slightly sticky.
2. Dump dough out onto a floured surface. Use well floured hands to knead the dough with your hands, until it's no longer sticky, about 3-5 minutes.
3. Roll out onto a lightly floured counter until it's very thin -- less than 1/4'' thick or paper thin.
4. Use a sharp knife or pizza cutting wheel to cut the noodles into long strips, however narrow or wide you like. I like to roughly gather them with my fingers into a pile to make them more shapely, and not so flat. You could even twist some with your fingers to make them prettier.
5. To cook them immediately, add them to a pot of boiling water and cook until tender to the bite, about 2-3 minutes. Drain and serve with butter and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.
   
   
   
   
   
   

   WHAT ARE EGG NOODLES MADE OF?

   All you need is FOUR super simple ingredients to make homemade egg noodles:

   Eggs, flour, milk and salt.

   So easy! You can do this.   Roll out super thin.  Cut into strips with a pizza cutter and lay out on cookie cooling racks to dry out a bit. 

   
   

   TIPS FOR PERFECT EGG NOODLES:

   EGG NOODLES ARE FOOL-PROOF.

   This recipe is very forgiving. Egg noodles are not like pie crust or pastry dough where you have to be cautious with how much you handle the dough. You can’t over-mix them. If you feel like the dough is too “dry” you could add a little splash of water or milk. If you feel like it’s too sticky, add another sprinkle of flour. You really can’t mess them up.

   TRY “RESTING” THE DOUGH.

   I’ve found that allowing the dough to rest for 5 minutes before rolling it out, and again after rolling it, makes it easier to work with and keeps the noodles from “shrinking” as you cut it. Resting is optional, but I’d recommend it. Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a light towel while it rests.

Browned Butter Rice Crispy Treats

This Recoice is from Smitren Kitchen.  It is practically perfect, it needs no alterations in my opinion.  It takes rice crispies in my opinion to the next level and actually makes them sophisticated if that could be possible?!

Ingredients:

4 ounces (113 grams) unsalted butter, plus extra for the pan

1 10-ounce (285-gram) bag marshmallows

Heaping 1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt

6 cups (160 grams) crispy rice cereal (about half a 12-ounce box)

Butter (or coat with non-stick spray) an 8-inch square cake pan with 2-inch sides.

-In a large pot, melt butter over medium-low heat. It will melt, then foam, then turn clear golden and finally start to turn brown and smell nutty. Stir frequently, scraping up any bits from the bottom as you do. Don’t take your eyes off the pot as while you may be impatient for it to start browning, the period between the time the butter begins to take on color and the point where it burns is often less than a minute.

-As soon as the butter takes on a nutty color, turn the heat off and stir in the marshmallows. The residual heat from the melted butter should be enough to melt them, but if it is not, turn it back on low until the marshmallows are smooth.

-Remove the pot from the stove and stir in the salt and cereal together. Quickly spread into prepared pan. I liked to use a piece of waxed or parchment paper that I’ve sprayed with oil to press it firmly and evenly into the edges and corners, though a silicon spatula works almostas well.

-Let cool, cut into squares and get ready to make new friends. 

Peanut Butter Noodles

This is the lunch food that makes everyone happy lately around these parts.   It’s easy to whip up, super quick.  It’s easy to make a bit in the gluten free version and the rest regular.  It’s easy to use whatever vegetables you have in your fridge.   Today we made it it with only carrots and peanuts . . . Pretty flexible.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 box spaghetti noodles/fettuccini noodles
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 2 cups shredded cabbage
• 2 carrots, peeled and shredded
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 2 tablespoons chopped peanuts

FOR THE SAUCE

• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon Sriracha, optional
• 1 1/2  - 2 cups chicken broth

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, garlic, honey, ginger, vinegar, sesame oil and Sriracha, if using; set aside.
2. In a large pot of boiling water, cook Noodles; drain well.
3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken to skillet and cook until golden, about 3-4 minutes.
4. Stir in cabbage, carrots and green onions until heated through, about 1 minute.
5. Stir in Noodles and peanut butter mixture until well combined, about 2 minutes.
6. Serve immediately, garnished with cilantro and peanuts, if desired.

Macy’s Pumpkin Cookies with Maple Frosting

Any one who lives in Massachusetts has tasted these cookies and know that they are my friend Macy’s recipe.   She is famous  across the state for these!  We would ask Macy when she was making these and just happen to pop over at that time!

Cookie Batter:
3 cups Flour
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
3/4 tsp Salt
1 1/2 cup Shortening
1 1/2 cup Sugar
1 1/2 cup Pumpkin
2 Eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla


Frosting -
2 Tbsp Butter
1/2 Cup Cream
2 cups Brown Sugar
2/3 tsp Vanilla
Powdered Sugar


Cream the shortening, sugar, eggs and pumpkin

Combine remaining flour ingredients and add to pumpkin mixture

Drop with a scoop into a sheet lined with parchment paper.   Take a spoon and run under cold water.  Gently push spoon into each mound making a “small bowl” for the frosting to sit in after they are cooked.  ( you make have to run spoon under cold water every couple of cookies)

Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes

For the frosting - Melt the ingredients together in a saucepan over low heat for 4-5 minutes until combined.  *. Ale sure the sugar is actually melted. Let the mixture cool slightly and add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until the frosting reaches spreading consistency.   

Frost when the cookies are cooked on a wire rack as the frosting drops off the cookie and can make a mess.

Red Pepper Quinoa

This dish is the reason we decided to like Quinoa.   Game changer for us on Blanchard Road.

This is easy to make a lot of and have in the fridge for lunches.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 medium sweet red pepper, finely chopped
• 1 celery rib, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro, divided

Directions

• In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, red pepper, celery and seasonings; cook and stir 5-7 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
• Stir in stock and corn; bring to a boil. Stir in quinoa. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 12-15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
• Add beans and 1/3 cup cilantro; heat through, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with remaining cilantro.

You can add grilled chicken to add extra protein.   Serve with Naan or with corn chips. 

Tomato Basil Soup - The One We all Like

The temperatures are dropping.
We are coming home from soccer and it is already dark.
This can only mean 1 thing.
Soup Season!!


This one comes from the Pioneer Woman.  You really can’t go wrong.  Adjust the seasonings as you like. I have it written here with a few changes of my own how we like it.

• 6 Tablespoons Melted Butter
• 1 whole Medium Onion, Diced
• 1 bottle (46 Oz.) Tomato Juice ( I didn’t have - just added another can of chopped or diced tomatoes and it totally works)
• 2 cans (14 Oz. Cans) Diced Tomatoes
• 3 Tablespoon Chicken Base
• 3 Tablespoons Sugar
• 1 pinch Salt
•  Black Pepper To Taste
• 1 cup Cooking Sherry
• 1-1/2 cup Heavy Cream
•  Chopped Fresh Parsley ( or a toss of dried)
•  Chopped Fresh Basil ( or a tablespoon of dried)

Sauté diced onions in butter until translucent.

 Then add canned tomatoes, tomato juice, chicken base, sugar, pinch of salt, black pepper and stir.

 Bring to a near boil, then turn off heat.

 Add in sherry and cream and stir.

Blend with the hand mixer.

 Add in parsley and basil to taste.

Adjust other seasonings and serve with yummy, crusty bread on a cold blustery, dreary, depressing, rainy, snowy day. 

Thai Ramen Soup Soooo Good

This soup is the easiest to whip up.  No lie.  No joke.  You just throw it all together and you stand back and say . . . “ look at me, I am fancy”

* The only problem is that this recipe only serves 4

*Can make with rice noodles to make gluten free for quincy.

Thai Coconut Ramen

yield 4 servings

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon jalapeno
• 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
• 2 (14.5 oz) cans chicken broth
• 1 (14.5 oz) can coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon sriracha
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups shredded chicken
• 2 packages Ramen Noodles (no seasoning packet)
• 1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 cup shredded cabbage
• 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1⁄4 cup cilantro, chopped
• Juice from 2 limes

Heat olive oil over medium-high heat.

 Saute jalapeno and ginger until fragrant and soft. ( sautéing these makes their flavor milder)

Pour in chicken broth and coconut milk, sriracha, and salt, whisking until combined. Bring to a boil then add noodles and reduce to a simmer. ( I don’t always use saracha and it is totally just fun - the jalepeno Akon is just enough flavor)

Add chicken, mushrooms, cabbage, and peppers. 

*use any vegetable in you fridge - broccoli, carrots, peppers, snow peas, edamame . . . Whatever is in that fridge of yours.

Cook  3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro and lime - even avocado or crushed peanuts just before serving.