Chicken Noodle Soup

This is Chad's Mom's Recipe.  It's SO YUMMY!  I didn't realize homemade noodles were so good... and easy!

11-12 c chicken broth

3 c. cooked, cubed chicken (or turkey)

2 c. chopped celery

1 1/2 c chopped carrots 

1/4 c. dried onions, or 1 med. onion, chopped

2 1/2 tsp parsley flakes

1 tsp basil

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Cook all in boiling chicken broth until tender.

Noodles:  (I just make half the batch of noodles, because I feel like there are way too many if I do all of them, but you can decide.)

2 eggs

2 Tbs water

1 tsp salt

1 - 1 1/2 c. flour (approx)

Beat eggs and water well.  Add salt.  Stir into this egg mixture enough flour to make a soft dough ball.  (1 to 1 1/2 c)  Take out of bowl and roll out on a layer of flour (up to another 1/2 c. flour...use enough to lightly cover the dough and make it easy to roll out. You don't want it to stick to the counter).  Roll dough thin into a rectangle shape.  Cut into 4" wide noodles (or however you want).  Cook noodles in the soup 10-15 min.

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Acorns

 

This recipe comes from Martha Stewart Magazine, November 2012, page 64.

I made it with Eli, Sarah, and Abby a couple of days before Thanksgiving.

3/4 c creamy peanut butter
1/2 c unsalted butter, softened
2 c confectioner's sugar
6 ounces good-quality semisweet chocolate
36 branch-shaped pieces from mini pretzels

Stir together peanut butter and butter in a bowl with wooden spoon.  Add sugar; work into a smooth dough with your hands.  Refrigerate 30 minutes.  (I didn't.)

Using the palms of your hands, roll dough into 1 1/2" oblong "acorns" (you should have 36), flatten 1 end of each a bit with your fingertip, and place on a waxed paper-lined rimmed baking sheet.  Refrigerate 30 minutes. (I didn't do that either, but I did refrigerate them when they were done.)

Meanwhile, melt chocolate in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Working with 1 acorn at a time, insert a toothpick into rounded tip, dip flat end into chocolate, then return to baking sheet.  Remove toothpick, and inset a pretzel piece into the chocolate-dipped end of each acorn.  Refrigerate until chocolate is set, about 2 hours.  I found that the acorn fell off the toothpick so I dipped them with my fingers.

Savory Fruit and Nut Stuffing

 

 

This sounded so good that I made it along with my traditional celery stuffing for Thanksgiving.  It was a winner!  It was published in Prevention Magazine November 200? (I'm not sure).

6 slices whole wheat bread cut into 1/2" cubes
1T olive oil
1 lg onion, chopped
2 lg ribs celery (with some leaves), coarsely chopped
1 1/2 t dried sage (I used "rubbed")
1/2 t freshly ground black pepper (I used 1/4 t)
1/4 t salt
1 can (14.5 oz) reduced-sodium, fat-free chicken broth
3/4 c chopped hazelnuts (I used pecans)
1/3 c snipped unsweetened dried apricot halves
1/3 c unsweetened dried cherries (I used craisins)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Coat 8"x 8" or 9"x 9" baking dish with cooking spray.

Place bread cubes in 11" x 7" baking pan.  Bake stirring often, until golden and lightly crisp, 10 to 12 minutes.  Set aside to cool in pan.  Reduce heat to 375 degrees.

Warm oil in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add onion, celery, sage, pepper, and salt and cook stirring often, until tender, 8 to 10 minutes, adding broth 1 T at a time if pan gets dry.

Put onion mixture in large bowls.  Add bread cubes, hazelnuts, apricots, cherries, and remaining broth.  Mix well and transfer to prepared baking dish.  Cover with foil.

Bake 15 minutes until heated through.  Uncover and bake 20 to 25 minutes more until crisp and browned.

Do ahead:  Cube and toast bread and cut up onion, celery, and fruit the day before.

Sweet Potato Casserole

 

This Thanksgiving I decided to try something different from the old sweet potatoes, brown sugar, butter, and marshmallows recipe.  I looked through my All New-ultimate Southern Living Cookbook and on page 472 I found Belle's Sweet Potato Casserole.  What I did was use the recipe for the sweet potatoes and then used a recipe from Prevention Magazine (November 2008, page 88) for the topping.  A perfect combination! I will surely make it again.

Bell's Sweet Potato Casserole (yields 10 servings)  After making it, I think it yields more like 12-16.

8 medium-size potatoes (6 lbs.)
1 c milk
1/4 c butter
3 T sugar (I used white)
1 t vanilla extract
1 T orange juice
1/4 t salt
1/4 t ground cinnamon
1/4 t ground nutmeg

Bring sweet potatoes and water to cover to a boil and cook 30 to 35 minutes, or until tender; drain.  Peel potatoes and place in a mixing bowl

Heat milk and next 3 ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until butter melts and sugar dissolves.  Do not boil.  Stir in orange juice, salt, and spices.

Beat potatoes at medium speed with an electric mixer until mashed.  Add milk mixture, beating until smooth.  Turn into 9 x 13 pan.  It will be quite full.


Brown Sugar-Pecan Topping  (I doubled it for Bell's Sweet Potato Casserole) 

This recipe is for 2 1/2 lbs. sweet potatoes

3/4 c chopped pecans
3 T brown sugar
1/4 t ground cinnamon

Mix together and spread on top of sweet potato casserole.  Place in 350 degree oven (uncovered) for 10 minutes and serve.

Emerald Salad

This is the recipe Mom always used.

1 pkg. lemon jello  (3 oz.)
1 pkg. lime jello (3 oz.)
2 c. liquid (use liquid from pineapple and added water to make 2 c.)
1 #2 can (20 oz.) crushed pineapple
1/2 c. diced celery
1 c. cottage cheese (I usually use the lowfat)
1 c. evaporated milk
1 c. mayonnaise (3/4 c. seems a little less disgusting to me)
1/2 - 1 c. walnluts, almonds, or pecans, chopped

Boil liquid and add to jello powders.  Let set until nearly stiff.  Beat until fluffy.  Fold in other ingredients and pour into mold or 8 x 8 pan.

I think it's an 8 x 8 pan, but maybe it's a 9 x 13.  I don't remember.  The important thing is that you have enough for everyone!

Swedish Christmas Rice

This was Grandma Johnson's recipe in the Johnson Family Favorites family cookbook from 1997.  It's probably what we eat at the Christmas parties, but I never put this much work into mine!  (See below).

6 C rice
2 quarts water
Salt to taste
1 quart milk
2 C sugar
2 cans evaporated milk
Cinnamon sticks, as needed
Almonds, as needed

Boil rice in salt water until tender.  Add sugar, milk, and cinnamon sticks (4 or 5).  Set in double boiler and cook for several hours until creamy.  Add canned milk and almonds during this time.  If rice gets too thick, add more milk and some water to keep rice at right consistency.  Serve with half and half and cinnamon-sugar.

This is the recipe mom gave me when I was at college.  I don't know where it came from, but it's easy:

3 C cooked rice
1 C milk
1/2 C evaporated milk + 1/4 C sugar + 1 T corn starch
1/2 t vanilla

Heat ingredients together in a pan.
Shake on cinnamon.

Oreo Truffles

You must try these!  YUMMMMMMMMY!!!!

1 pkg. regular Oreos (not double-stuffed)
1 8 oz pkg. cream cheese
1 pkg. chocolate chips (either semi or milk)
~1/4 pkg white chips
2 Tbs crisco

-Break oreos with hands into large bowl. (into 1/4ths)
-Microwave cream cheese for ~30 seconds until soft.  Add to oreos.
-Crush oreos more with a wooden spoon (doesn't have to be tiny)
-Use handheld mixer to beat oreos and cream cheese together until it resembles wet sand.
-Roll into 1" balls.  Chill several hours.
-Melt chocolate chips with 1 Tbs crisco on stovetop or microwave. If microwave, stir every 15 sec. until almost melted.  And stir until completely melted.
-Roll balls in chocolate with 2 spoons.  Place on wax paper and chill in fridge.
-Melt ~1/4 pkg. white chips with 1 Tbs crisco on stovetop or microwave.  If microwave, stir every 10 sec. until almost melted, stir until completely.
-Use fork or bag to drizzle white chocolate over.  (Or color it first!)

Butternut Squash Soup

I didn't have huge expectations for this soup, but I REALLY REALLY like it and I WILL be making it again!!!!  Also Chad really liked it, Jane REALLY liked it, Hyrum ate it and didn't complain :)

Butternut Squash Soup

1 medium butternut squash, halved lengthwise and seeded

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 large leeks, cleaned thoroughly and chopped

4 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger

6 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

3/4 cup whipping cream

chopped fresh parsley or cilantro

croutons

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place squash cut side down on oiled baking sheet. Bake until the squash can easily be pierced with a fork, about 1 hour. Let cool, then scoop the pulp from the squash skin and discard the skin.
2. Melt butter in a soup pot over medium-low heat. Add leeks and ginger and cook, stirring, until tender but not browned, 5 to 10 minutes.
3. Stir in 4 cups of stock and the squash pulp. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring and breaking up the squash with a spoon, for 20 minutes. Puree until smooth. Return soup to the pot.
4. Stir in cream, and thin with stock, a little at a time, until you reach the desired consistency of soup. Heat soup through and ladle into warmed bowls. Garnish with herbs and/or croutons.