Chicken Noodle Soup

I feel so bad that I haven't posted for so long!!! I have been so busy....a lot more that usual. Anyway, this week one of the dishes I made for a client is a delicious and flavorful classic Chicken Noodle Soup. It has certainly turned into soup and bread weather. One of my favorite combinations. In fact, I am sure you will see plenty of soup posts from me. This Chicken Noodle Soup is full of fresh carrots, celery, thyme, rosemary, garlic, onions, tender chicken and peas. I make it with whole wheat egg noodles to make it even more healthy and hearty. I apologize for not having a picture, but trust me, this is a keeper! To make the whole process even more simple than it already is, I usually purchase a rotisserie chicken from Costco. They are a great deal and save a lot of time. It also gives me leftover chicken for sandwiches, wraps, enchiladas....etc. You should try this soup. You'll like it!

Chicken Noodle Soup

1 Tbsp. Olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 medium carrots cut diagonally and into 1/2 inch thick slices
2 celery ribs, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2 inch thick slices
4 fresh thyme sprigs (I just use dried thyme-eyeball it)
rosemary (eyeball it)
1 bay leaf
2 quarts of chicken stock
8 ounces dried egg noodles
1 1/2-2 cups shredded chicken
salt and pepper to taste
chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Handful fresh or frozen peas

Place soup pot over medioum heat and coat with oil. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery, thyme and bay leaf. Cook and stir for about 6 minutes, until the veggies are softened but not brown. Pour in chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add the noodles and simmer for 5 minutes until tender. Fold in the chicken, and continue to simmer for another couple of minutes to heat through. Add fresh peas and fresh parsley. Season with salt and pepper.

The Ultimate Pizza

It had been a couple of weeks since we had our last pizza, so I figured it was time for another one. This time I chose to do a more traditional pizza with a tomato based sauce. I used the same pizza sauce recipe that my mom used. It is a simple combination of tomatoe sauce, tomato paste, crushed garlic, oregano and basil. It is combined in a small saucepan and simmered for about 20 minutes. This allows the falvors to soak into the sauce and make it all the more tastey. For toppings, I did half of the pizza with sauteed mushrooms, red onions, olives, red bell pepper, Canadian bacon and chicken sausage. I prefer to have more vegetables on my pizza, so on my half I used sauteed mushrooms, red onion, olives, red bell pepper and sliced summer squash, chicken sausage and grilled chicken. I have NEVER liked sausage, but for some reason it sounded good. Since I can't quite stomach the thought of eating pork, I opted for mild Italian chicken sausage. HOLY COW!!! I have been missing out on a delicious thing. The chicken sausage was perfectly season. Not too stong or ovewhelming, not overly greasy, but just right. And the grilled chicken was also grilled to perfection. The crust was PERFECT! I baked it on my pizza stone (one of my favorite kitchen tools). It was one of the most satisfying pizzas I have had in a long time. It was one of those meals that I was seriously sad to be full. Needless to say, I will be making this again soon. Very soon. Because I have already basically explained how I made the pizza, I am not going to post the exact recipe. I will, however, leave you with the best pizza crust recipe. I hope you enjoy as much as we did!!!!

Pizza Crust

1 package active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup warm water
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups 00 flour, plus more for dusting
Directions
In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the yeast, sugar, and warm water; stir gently to dissolve. Let the mixture stand until the yeast comes alive and starts to foam, about 5 to 10 minutes.
Turn the mixer on low and add the salt and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the flour, a little at a time, mixing at the lowest speed until all the flour has been incorporated. When the dough starts to come together, increase the speed to medium; stop the machine periodically to scrape the dough off the hook. Get a feel for the dough by squeezing a small amount together: if it's crumbly, add more water; if it's sticky, add more flour - 1 tablespoon at a time. Mix until the dough gathers into a ball, this should take about 5 minutes.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and fold it over itself a few times; kneading until it's smooth and elastic. Form the dough into a round and place in a lightly oiled bowl, turn it over to coat. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let it rise in a warm spot (i.e. over a gas pilot light) until doubled in size, about 1 hour. This is a good time to stick a pizza stone in the oven and preheat them to 500 degrees F.
Once the dough is domed and spongy, turn it out onto a lightly floured counter. Roll or pat out the dough into a 12 inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick. Dust a pizza paddle with flour and slide it under the pizza dough. Brush the crust with a thin layer of olive oil, and top with your favorite flavors. Slide the pizza onto the hot stone in the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the crust is golden and crisp.

Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

Now that fall is here I have been in the mood for fall foods. One of my favorite things about fall is Thanksgiving and one of my favorite things about Thanksgiving is the mashed potatoes and gravy. I love the combination of gravy swirled in the potatoes with peas and a hot roll to dip in it! MMMMMMM SO GOOD! Today I made a recipe from Ellie Krieger for Smashed Potatoes with Sour Cream and Chives. I also made a version of gravy from Rachael Ray. I was pleasantly surprised by how flavorful the gravy was...we loved it and will be making it again and again. I grilled a piece of salmon for me and a nice juicey steak for my hubby. It was a very satisfying fall meal!

Smashed Potatoes with Sour Cream and Chives

1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth, warmed
1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Place potatoes in a steamer basket fitted over a large pot of boiling water. Cover and steam for about 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
Transfer potatoes to a large bowl. Add the broth, and coarsely mash the potatoes. Stir in the sour cream and chives. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and serve.

Rosemary and Mushroom Gravy

3 tablespoons butter (I used 1 Tbsp. Smart Balance and 1 Tbsp. olive oil)
12 cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced (I used regualr sliced mushrooms)

1/4 yellow onion chopped
3 to 4 sprigs fresh rosemary, finely chopped (I used 2 tsp. dried)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups chicken stock

Heat a small skillet over medium heat with 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon oil. When butter melts add the mushrooms and onion and cook until dark and tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper and add rosemary to the pan. Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and cook a minute. Whisk in the stock, bring to a bubble and thicken, 5 minutes, over medium-low heat.

Have You Tried?

Have you tried using broth instead of water to cook rice? If you haven't, you are missing out! Tonight I tried using mushroom broth. I know it sounds a bit odd, but you would not believe how good it is!!!It added a completely different and tastey flavor. Chicken broth is also wonderful. I like to cook my rice in broth and add fresh herbs such as basil, parsley, thyme, sage, cilantro and green onions. If you have tried using broth to cook your rice, you should! You won't be sorry.

White Turkey Chili

Fall is here. In fact, I think that winter is trying to cheat out fall and sneak in a bit early....too early if you ask me. I LOVE fall weather. The thing is, once fall comes I know that winter is just around the corner and I know in just a few short weeks I will be digging my car out of the snow. UGH!!!! I do not like the snow one little bit!!! At least the winter is a bit more enjoyable with all the yummy soups, chili, and cookies that come with the season! My husband and I love chili. I have never tried making a white chili, but this recipe sounded good, and I have really been in the mood for turkey. I made the chili the night before we ate it, hoping to give the spices a chance to soak in a bit and develop. After I made it, I wasn't so sure how much we were going to like it. I am used to chili being thick. This had more the consistency of a soup. We ate it the next day for dinner. It was really good! A lot better than I thought it was going to be after making it. I topped it off with the yogurt (a must) and I added a bit more spices right before digging in. It had really good flavor. I served it with corn muffins, but it would be equally good with tortilla chips.

White Chili

Ellie Kreiger

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 stalks celery, diced (about 1/2 cup)
3 medium poblano peppers (about 4 ounces each), seeded and white ribs removed, finely diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, more to taste
1 pound ground white meat turkey
2 (15.5-ounce) cans white beans such as cannelini, preferably low-sodium, drained and rinsed
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 (15.5-ounce) can hominy, drained and rinsed
Salt
1/4 cup nonfat plain Greek-style yogurt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Lime wedges
Directions
Heat the oil in large pot or Dutch oven over moderate heat. Add the onion, celery, poblanos, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, coriander and cayenne and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the ground turkey and cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until the meat is no longer pink about 2 minutes. Add the white beans, broth and oregano. Cook, partially covered, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes.
Add the hominy and salt and more cayenne pepper, to taste, and continue cooking, partially covered, 10 minutes longer. Ladle into individual bowls and top each serving with 1 tablespoon of yogurt and 1 1/2 teaspoons of cilantro. Garnish with a lime wedge.