Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

I've been looking for a good chicken noodle soup recipe for quite some time. I haven't found anything that really strikes my fancy. It was a very "cold and blustery" day today. The kind of day where I didn't even step outside long enough to get the mail. My husband had to go out in it though. He's also in the middle of tests at school, and we haven't seen each other much in the past two weeks. So, considering these two factors, I wanted to make something for dinner that was "warm and togethery."

I decided to combine my favorite ideas from the chicken noodle soup recipes I've been looking at, and boy am I glad I did! YUM! The perfect comfort food on this not so comfortable day.

• 3 Tbsp. butter
• 1 carrot, sliced
• 2 stalks celery, sliced
• 1/4 cup green pepper, diced
• 1/4 cup onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 tsp. crushed dried marjoram leaves
• 1 chicken boullion cube
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 chicken breast, cooked and cubed
• 6 oz. bow-tie noodles
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

In a large pot, melt butter. Add carrot, celery, green pepper, onion and garlic. Cook over medium heat until vegetables are slightly tender, but still a little crisp. Add chicken broth and 1 cup of the milk. Stir in marjoram, boullion cube and salt and pepper.

Add noodles and chicken. Cook until noodles are almost done.

In a cup, stir together remaining milk and the flour until smooth. Add to soup. Stirring over medium-high heat, bring soup to a boil and boil for three minutes.

My Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 2/3 cup butter
• 2/3 cup shortening
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 3 cups flour
• 12 oz. chocolate chips

Mix together butter, shortening and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Mixture will be thick. Add chocolate chips. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 350 or 375 degrees, depending on oven (it takes 13 minutes at 375 degrees in my not-so-great oven).

Ma's Pancakes

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 4 Tbsp. sugar
• 4 tsp. baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups milk
• 2 Tbsp. oil

Stir together dry ingredients in large bowl. Combine wet ingredients then add all at once to flour mixture. Stir together with wire whisk. Pour batter onto hot, slightly oiled griddle. Brown on both sides.

Crescent-Topped Ratatouille Casserole

The ingredient list for this recipe may seem a little intimidating, but most of these items are standard pantry items. Usually, I'm not a casserole person. I don't have anything against casseroles, but I'm lactose intolerant and most casseroles include "cream of something or other" or oober amounts of milk and cheese. From my other recipes, I'm sure you'll note that I do use those things to cook, but they're usually recipes that have been given to me. I never intentionally go out in search of recipes loaded with milk. Anyways, back to this casserole...no "cream of anything."
Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil or vegetable oil
• 1 small eggplant, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (4 cups)
• 1 medium zucchini, sliced
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 medium green pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
• 1/2 tsp. dried basil leaves
• 1/4 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1 can (15.5 oz) dark red kidney beans, drained, rinsed
• 1 can refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
• 2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley, if desired

1. In large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add eggplant, zucchini, onion, bell pepper and garlic; cook and stir 4-6 minture or until veggies are lightly browned.
2. Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, basil, Italian seasoning and pepper. Cover; simmer about 10 minutes or until veggies are crisp-tender. Stir in beans; cook 5 minutes longer.
3. Meanwhile, remove dough from can in 2 rolled sections; do not unroll dough. Cut each roll into 4 slices; cut each slice into quarters. Place cheese in 1-quart resealable plastic bag; add crescent pieces, seal and shake to coat.
4. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray. Spoon eggplant mixture into baking dish. Arrange crescent pieces on top.
5. Bake 17-20 minutes or until crescents are golden brown. Sprinkle with parsley.

Smoked Sausage Sweet Potato Packets

• 4 12"x18" sheets heavy duty aluminum foil
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
• 2 medium Granny Smith apples, cored and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 2 tsp. minced garlic
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp. brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1 16-oz. package fully cooked smoked sausage, cut into 8 pieces
  

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray the top side of each foil sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Place one-fourth of sweet potatoes and apples in center of each foil sheet. Sprinkle each with 1/2 tsp. garlic, 1/4 tsp. ginger, 1/4 tsp. cinnamon and 1/2 tsp. brown sugar. Top with 1/2 Tbsp. butter, cut into small pieces.
3. Place two sausage pieces on top of sweet potatoes and apples. Bring up the sides of the foil. Double fold the top and ends to seal the packets, leaving room for heat circulation inside. Repeat to make four packets.
4. Place packets on large cookie sheet and place in the oven for 40-50 minutes until sweet potatoes are tender.

Pasta with Roasted Summer Vegetables and Basil

One of my co-workers has a garden, and he occasionally will bring me a vegetable. This week's vegetable was a yellow summer squash. To be honest, I haven't ever used squash in any of the dishes I've made since I got married, or perhaps ever! This is embarrassing, I know! When I brought the squash home I got a response of "Ew" from my husband which gave me even more determination to use this squash and make him like it! In my searching for a recipe, I came across this recipe on the Martha Stewart website. It looked delish and quick (something I'm fond of when I'm cooking after work). I did a bit of my own tweeking to the original recipe and added zucchini for some color (why not just go on a squash fest since I've never been brave enough to use it?). Well, lets just say it was a hit and that hubby of mine even came back for seconds!

Ingredients:

• 1 yellow summer squash, sliced 1 inch thick crosswise, halved if large


• 1 zucchini, sliced 1 inch think crosswise, halved


• 1 pint grape tomatoes


• 1 medium red onion, halved and sliced 1/2 inch thick


• 2 garlic cloves, minced


• 1/8 cup olive oil


• salt and ground pepper


• 16 oz. short pasta (the recipe calls for campanelle or fusilli, but I used elbow macaroni because I had it on hand)


• 2-3 tablespoons butter


• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving


• 1 tsp. dried basil (the recipe calls for 1 cup torn fresh basil leaves, but my husband misunderstood my request for them when he went to the store. So, dried basil it was!)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place squash, zucchini, tomatoes, onions, and garlic on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with oil, and season with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Roast without tossing until tender and starting to brown, 30-40 minutes.


2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook until al dente. Drain, and return to pot.


3. Add vegetables, butter, Parmesan, and basil to pasta; season with salt and pepper, and toss gently to combine.

Southwest Skillet Ragu

• 1-1.5 lbs. ground beef
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 red (green, yellow, or orange) pepper, chopped
• 1/2 container mushrooms, quartered
• 1 28oz. can diced tomatoes with juices
• 2 Tbsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1/2 tsp. salt, plus additional to taste
• 1 cup elbow macaroni
• 1/2 cup water (as needed)
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1. Heat a tsp. of olive oil over medium-high heat in a skillet that will be deep enough to hold everything. Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink.
2. Stir in the onions and mushrooms, and cook until the onions are soft and slightly tranlsucent. Add the peppers, spices and salt, and continue to saute until vegetables are mostly cooked.
3. Add tomatoes with their juices and bring to a boil. Add the pasta. Let the water come back to a boil and then reduce the heat. Allow everything to simmer about 10 minutes until the pasta isel dente and the veggies are cooked through. (If it looks like the liquid is gone before the pasta is cooked, add the 1/2 cup of water.)
4. Sprinkle the cheese over the top and stir until the cheese is melted and gooey. Spoon into individual bowls and serve!