carrots

Chicken and Mango Rainbow Veggie Wraps

February 22, 2018

If you’re still debating whether a wrap is really a sandwich or not, you can use this one as proof that either which way the vote comes in, we all agree that healthy, crunchy rainbow wrap lunches are what make the world go ’round.

This post is brought to you by Almond Breeze

My daughter is mildly amused with the return to my teenage fascination with rainbows.

Chalk it up to reliving the memories of my eighth grade year as she makes her way through hers. Or it may be thanks to my continuing countdown of the quickly fading days of this age of innocence for my lil’ baby. Or maybe it’s thanks to the ’80s boomerang of denim overalls, scrunchies, boom boxes, Polaroid cameras, casseroles, mom jeans and new remakes of Full House, CHiPs and Roseanne.

🌈 Either/or/and/alloftheabove…ahhh, 8th grade. Best year ever. 🌈

This easy, veg-heavy Thai-flavored lunch wrap represents all the things right with eating the rainbow. You’ve heard it a hundred times. At least I hope you have: Eating the rainbow is one of the best ways to ensure you’re getting all the right nutrients in one fell swoop. And it’s just one more reason that eating a healthy wrap for an easy lunch or quick dinner is a good idea.

continue to the recipe… about Chicken and Mango Rainbow Veggie Wraps

How to Make the Best Minestrone Soup

January 18, 2018

My Grandma’s easy minestrone soup recipe is one of the healthiest vegetable-loaded soups you’ll make, and it tastes far better than any of those Olive Garden copycat recipes thanks to the secret ingredient in the savory broth.

“It is well worth the time and effort.”

But then, isn’t most anything when it’s done with love?

My sweet Grandma Frieda passed away when I was a senior in college and while there are many things that remind me of her, as a recipe maker it’s the cookbooks I inherited from her that I see most often.

One of my favorite things about her copies of The Joy of Cooking (pub. 1953) and Epicure’s Delight (pub. 1944) are the pages and margins filled with recipes written in her elegant handwriting that as a German-immigrant shows off the hard work it took to become a part of her new country. Like the quote says above, it is well worth the time and effort.

Nestled within those cookbook pages are recipe cards for recipes from friends like Edith’s Coffee Cake and Loretta’s Zucchini Soufflé which have both moved to my must-make list.

But the recipe that shows up time and time again is this Minestrone recipe from San Francisco’s Petrini Gourmet Grocery Stores, likely cut from the San Mateo Times’ newspaper recipe section to promote more soup bone sales for the homemade beef broth.

And because it’s #soupweek (did you see the Instant Pot Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup?) we’re keeping the slurps going by presenting The Gourmet by Petrini’s Minestrone Soup where either the newspaper editors or Petrini himself lured readers with the headnote mentioned above and can describe any meal when it’s made with love: It is well worth the time and effort, and even more so because this recipe is actually really easy to make.

How to Make a Traditional Minestrone

Whether you say minestrone soup like the Italians aka “min eh stron ee” or “min eh stron eh”, this soup is the perfect gateway to woo non-veggie lovers into getting a head start on their five a day. It’s brothy and flavorful with potatoes, pasta, and cheese that makes the veggies more than palatable. Use a small macaroni or pasta that matches the diced size of your veggies for equal tastes in every bite.

Because this soup has the simplest of ingredients and can be made with ease, the key is starting with the best quality you can find or afford.

Let’s start with the the broth.

Grandma’s newspaper recipe calls for a super simple stock of bones and water slow-simmered for flavor. But I like a richer, heartier stock so my homemade beef stock fit the bill here. Or if you prefer, use chicken broth (this is my favorite homemade) or a veggie stock instead. If you don’t have the time or inclination to make your stock from scratch, always choose a grocery store version that’s high quality with ingredients you can actually read.

To the stock you’ll be adding diced tomatoes, adding more richness and a bit of acid to balance the flavors.

The other source for this soup’s distinctive minestrone flavor comes from the spunk of Parmesan cheese and while grandma’s recipe doesn’t call for it, I have a secret that learned of long ago: to cook the broth with a few leftover rinds of Parmesan cheese. This step really imparts that cheesy flavor and takes your broth from a tepid vegetable flavor to minestrone all the way.

What Vegetables Go In Minestrone Soup?

One of the best things about Minestrone Soup is it can truly be a clean-out-the-fridge recipe you can fiddle with based on what you have on hand or what’s in season. Traditionally, the are the vegetables that most often show up:

Tomatoes
Onion
Carrots
Celery
Potatoes
Beans (kidney and Great Northern beans are my favorites)
Peas
Zucchini
Cabbage (shred it thin)
Spinach
Kale
Leeks (use the white parts only)
Green beans (canned works wonders)

While most people think of minestrone as a vegetarian soup, Petrini’s recipe begins with salt pork. Yep, this recipe is from days gone by. I used bacon instead. To make this minestrone soup vegetarian, skip the bacon and use a rich vegetable stock in lieu of the beef stock instead.

More Recipe Ideas to Make With this Soup and Make a Meal

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Bookmark this recipe and leave a comment below, or take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.

5 from 2 votes

My Grandma's Minestrone Soup

Because this soup gets a salty bite from the bacon and a generous helping of Parmesan cheese (plus Parmesan cheese rinds cooked with the broth) go light on the salt at the beginning of the cooking time and adjust the seasoning by adding more if needed just before serving.

Ingredients

4-5 slices bacon roughly sliced into bite size pieces
1 small onion chopped
1 cup chopped carrots
2/3 cup chopped leeks white part only
2/3 cup chopped celery
3 quarts beef stock 12 cups
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2-3 chunks of Parmesan cheese rind
1 1/2 cups potatoes
1 cup small macaroni
1 15- ounce can diced tomatoes
1 15- ounce can red kidney beans rinsed and drained
2/3 cup frozen peas thawed
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Add the bacon to a large dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat and cook until browned but not crispy. Add the onion, carrots, leeks and celery then reduce the heat to medium and cook until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the beef stock, kosher salt, pepper, and cheese rinds. Bring to a boil then reduce to a gently rolling simmer and cook for about 15 minutes, partially covered with a lid. Add the potatoes, macaroni, and tomatoes, then partially cover with the lid, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes more. Add the kidney beans and peas, and simmer until warmed through. Taste for seasoning and adjust to your taste. Just before serving, add the grated Parmesan cheese and serve sprinkled with more Parmesan if you’d like.

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Instant Pot Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

January 16, 2018

Thanks to the Instant Pot pressure cooker, this easy chicken with wild rice soup is rich, creamy (without any added cream), and fast to make, and it tastes even better the next day, making it a great addition to your meal prep plans. If you don’t have a pressure cooker, not to worry, I’m sharing my stove top directions as well.

It’s soup week!

This week I’m sharing a few of my favorite soups, old and new. And a good thing too, because when my daughter came home from school and looked at me with a red-ringed nose and her eyes at half-staff and announced her “throat was sooooooo sore”, as she breezed past me and coughed, wheezed, and hacked her way down the hall and into her room to flop onto her bed like a left-behind Raggedy Ann doll, I knew we were in for the night.

Good thing I had this soup prepped and ready for cookin’.

Creamy chicken and rice soup. Pure comfort and totally right for all that feels wrong.continue to the recipe… about Instant Pot Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Easy Hamburger Vegetable Soup

October 5, 2017

This simple hamburger soup is loaded with vegetables and is an incredibly easy weeknight comfort food dinner because more than likely you’ll have all of the ingredients on hand and ready for soup thanks to your pantry, fridge, and/or freezer.

The first time I had this totally solid, totally comforting, hamburger soup was when my mother-in-law made it for a family gathering of which I was not yet part of the family. My husband and I had just started dating and it was dinner at mom’s house and I was invited to go.

No pressure. Nope. None at all.

One of the things I learned that night—along with the fact that as a teen my husband used to wear a nylon over his head so his wet curly hair would dry straight—is that getting friends and family together to share a meal doesn’t have to be over-thought or overdone.

Good food means good times, and that’s really all you need.continue to the recipe… about Easy Hamburger Vegetable Soup

Turkey Bolognese Lasagna Toss

October 2, 2017

Turkey takes over for traditional pork, veal, and beef in this rich and delicious homemade bolognese sauce to create a short cut lasagna dinner that cuts the calories, without sacrificing flavor.

It’s raining. The leaves on the mountain outside my front window are in the most vibrant change of fall colors I’ve seen in ten years. We pulled the tomato plants this weekend and I’ve harvested all my basil to make pesto before frost does it for me. There are days when comfort food is absolutely called for. And that’s when a rich, delicious lasagna raises its hand and squeals, ” PICK ME!”

I love a good lasagna with a rich, delicious meaty sauce with loads of cheese layered throughout and then melted on top. I mean, is there anything better?

But the thing is, my skinny jeans don’t always agree. My solution? Put all that rich flavor in a healthier turkey bolognese sauce and instead of layering my lasagna, toss it together instead.

I borrowed this lasagna toss idea from my Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup where the creamy ricotta mixture is added on at the end as an accent instead of playing equal parts to the noodle and sauce equation. I’m a cheese girl through and through, so that way, I meet my comfort food cravings but my jeans won’t revolt. continue to the recipe… about Turkey Bolognese Lasagna Toss

Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken and Vegetable Rice Bowls

September 25, 2017

When weeknight dinner making seems like almost too much to add to your already full plate, prep the ingredients for these slow cooker teriyaki chicken and vegetable rice bowls over the weekend and then toss together for a quick and easy answer to your weeknight dinner question.

These days everyone’s talking about meal prep. There’s a reason for that. Because it works.

All it takes are a couple of base recipes and a little extra time over the weekend to partially cook ahead and then whip out a healthy weeknight dinner. Even if you get just one meal prepped ahead and ready to roll, you’ll find yourself feeling surprisingly proud and a little enamored with your forethought and meal-planning ways.

continue to the recipe… about Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken and Vegetable Rice Bowls

Butternut Squash Beef Stew (Instant Pot, Pressure Cooker or Slow Cooker)

January 23, 2017

Tender chuck roast pairs with classic stew veggies and butternut squash in this healthy fall stew made easy in the Instant Pot, pressure cooker or slow cooker.

If there’s one addition to my kitchen that I can’t quit raving about, it’s my Instant Pot, the slow cooker/pressure cooker/steamer and more 7-in-one cooker I’ve become a die hard fan of. I think it’s probably been my favorite topic of conversation since the first snowflake fell this winer and it was tops on my list for holiday gift giving.

So what is it that I love about the Instant Pot? It saves me valuable time in the kitchen, helped minimize my collection of duplicate appliances, and has made meal planning a habit I’m actually becoming a fan of.

If you haven’t become an Insta Pot loyalist yet, join the bunch of us that are. Isn’t it time to save yourself some time in the kitchen, too?continue to the recipe… about Butternut Squash Beef Stew (Instant Pot, Pressure Cooker or Slow Cooker)

Korean Beef Bulgogi Bowls Recipe

August 17, 2016

Thinly sliced Korean beef Korean tops bowls of rice heaped with fresh vegetables, herbs and a spicy chile sauce for an easy weeknight dinner or lunch.

The other day an acorn nut fell from one of the scrub oak trees that create an awning over my driveway. When it hit my windshield, I heard the “ping” from inside the car, and my sunny summer disposition came to a screeching halt.

One might wonder why one little acorn falling from a tree could cause such a flip flop in my mood, but with that one little nut, I was jarred out of my summer vacation trance with the realization that fall is almost here.

Fall means that my easy, throw-it-together-because-we-can-eat-at-9pm-and-it’s-okay-because-it’s-summer weeknight meals hit the skids. It’s time for more dedicated meal planning. It’s time for making meals on Sunday or Monday that ease the pressure of fitting in the week-long dinner fixing and eating with homework, soccer practice and the return of Monday night football.

This is when we get down to real meal-time business.continue to the recipe… about Korean Beef Bulgogi Bowls Recipe

Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage

March 7, 2016

This slow cooker corned beef and cabbage creates tender, fall-apart chunks of beef thanks to braising it in the crock pot with beer and vegetables for an unbelievably easy and delicious one-pot dinner. Plus! Updated directions for the Instant Pot.

When questioned as to whether corned beef is actually good for you, I say it may not be something to recommend eating each and every day of the year, but I feel it’s totally fine when you eat it just like everything else you should— say it with me— in moderation! And whether corned beef is actually Irish or not? Well you won’t likely find it served at the pub in Ireland, but it IS Irish-American.

One of the very first “adult” dinner parties I had at the apartment I shared with my then boyfriend/now husband was a St. Patrick’s Day party with my friends from college. That night we had green beer, 7-layer dip (so Irish of us!) and played a mean game of Hearts.

My friend Julie aka Wells aka Pepper (because we each had about 19 different nicknames) and I tended the corned beef and discussed the merits of adding beer to the stewed meat or not, comparing notes on cooking on the stove top or baking in the oven, and in general were thrilled that in the end our guests had consumed enough green beer to deem the dinner a raging success.

Since that time I’ve made this meal every single year. Like many of you it’s a tradition you just can’t ignore come March. It’s a ritual. And I’m good with that.

In fact I will cook a whole corned beef just so I can make my favorite Reuben sandwiches loaded with sauerkraut, that delicious sauce and melted cheese piled high on grilled rye bread, because seriously…who can say no to a killer reuben??

I’ve baked my corned beef. I’ve cooked it on the stove top. But the method I seem to go to time and time again is tossing it all in the crock pot or slow cooker (this one is great for cooking on the stove top, too!) for one of the simplest dinners you’ll make all year.continue to the recipe… about Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage

Turkey Pot Pie Soup Plus 10 More Leftover Turkey Recipes You’ll Gobble Up

November 25, 2015

I’ve converted my favorite way to use up Thanksgiving turkey leftovers from a baked pot pie to a totally comforting slurp able soup.

I asked. You answered. And here is what we have to show for it.

Winner, winner, chicken dinnnnnnnn…HOLD THAT THOUGHT. Move over chicken, because THIS is dinner.

A week or so ago I had 5 quarts of freshly brewed turkey stock in need of a recipe to belong to. Plus, I wanted to give you a new recipe to use up that leftover turkey that most likely you’ll have on hand like I did when I made this glorious guy.

So as I am prone to do, I took to Instagram and asked you what you’d like to see made with it.

The requests were all winners. From spicy turkey chowder with lots of veggies in a bread bowl to a turkey risotto to turkey and dumplings, and more.

But one request hit home because it combines my favorite birthday dinner recipe with the slurpable, bread dipping, request of my daughter. She could eat soup morning, noon and night. And does.

Hello world! Meet your new favorite comfort food: Turkey Pot Pie Soup.

continue to the recipe… about Turkey Pot Pie Soup Plus 10 More Leftover Turkey Recipes You’ll Gobble Up

How to Make the Best Creamy Coleslaw

June 3, 2015

My favorite creamy coleslaw stays crunchy, not soupy, and gets a bit of bite in this slightly sweetened, vinegar spiked mayonnaise dressing.

Potato Salad. Baked Peans. My favorite Burrata and Heirloom Tomato Caprese Salad. Those recipes have always made up my barbecue buffet table daydreams. But coleslaw? It was always on the bottom rung of my side dish desires. Show me the shredded cabbage bowl and watch me skip right on by.

But my husband? He’s a coleslaw connoisseur. It’s usually the first thing he goes for. But that doesn’t mean the bites he gets are always good and that puts our home’s king of slaw down in the dumps.

But this creamy coleslaw recipe always gets not just one, but two big, Big, BIG thumbs up from my man. And now me, too.

It isn’t goopy. Nor is it soupy. And it’s far from overpowered by the bite of raw onion.

This here coleslaw, folks, this is the best I’ve ever eaten. And the man agrees.

Here’s why, and how to…

continue to the recipe… about How to Make the Best Creamy Coleslaw

Thai Coconut Noodle Salad

May 27, 2015

Almond Breeze Almondmilk Coconutmilk is my secret to a lower calorie instead of canned coconut milk for dressing this flavorful, Thai-inspired noodle salad.

This year I’m partnering with Almond Breeze to create and share recipes using almond milk. This noodle salad recipe takes full advantage of this flavored almond milk’s ability to infuse the distinctive Thai taste of coconut milk, but is a lighter alternative that cuts the calories and keeps the taste.

I’m sure I’ve shared here on the blog that during my sister’s senior year of high school she spent the year as a foreign exchange student in Thailand. Growing up in Utah, the geography, culture and certainly the food was worlds away from what she was used to. And she loved every single minute of her year-long immersion there.

When it was time for her to come home, my parents and I traveled to her adopted land to explore her new world. We quickly became fans, too. The beaches. The kindness of the Thai people. The vibrant heart of the culture. And for a food lover like me, the sumptuous and exotic dishes simply sealed the deal.

Ever since, when I’m craving dishes with a balance of spicy and sweet, Thai flavors are at my cooking epicenter. When you search my recipe archives it’s proof in the pudding, the Thai pudding so to speak. Hey, now! There’s a recipe idea I haven’t tried out yet…

continue to the recipe… about Thai Coconut Noodle Salad

Thai Quinoa Salad

May 4, 2015

This power salad combines protein-packed grains with the healing nutrients from fresh veggies, for a lime-infused flavor bomb with crunch in each bite.

I think I’ve just been stung. By the looks of the welt beginning to swell, I’d have to affirm that I indeed I just did.

It’s what happens every year in spring. Wasps circle as the dogs try and nip them in mid air. This one got away from them, and headed straight to me.

I suppose that’s what I get for writing this post in the warmth of this spring afternoon on my deck instead of hunkered in front of my computer in my office.

I’ll take the sting. Sitting in the sun makes it worth it.

continue to the recipe… about Thai Quinoa Salad

7 Spice Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowls

January 12, 2015

Homemade Japanese 7 Spice (Shichimi Togarashi) infuses homemade teriyaki sauce to boost the flavors of this healthy chicken teriyaki and fresh vegetable rice bowl, featuring chicken thighs, edamame, and sushi rice.

There’s a trend afoot. A food trend you’re seeing right, left and center, and it starts with a capital F.

I first talked about it last week when I shared this recipe. No, we’re not talking french fries, fondue or finger food. While I dig all of those and am especially partial to another F-word, I mean my my mom’s Fudge, they’re not on the scale for making major inroads into every cook’s kitchen.

So what F word is trending? It’s simple, really. The big F starts with flavor. Cooking these days is all about flavor. Trés trendy? Or just good, old fashioned recipe making? I’m betting it’s both.continue to the recipe… about 7 Spice Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowls

Fish Chowder With Copper River Salmon

December 16, 2014

This thick and creamy, perfectly chunky, and easy to make chowder made with the best Copper River salmon gets a Thai makeover with flavors of coconut milk, fresh lemongrass, ginger, and kaffir lime, for a unique spin on a comfort food favorite.

This fish chowder, if it could talk, would have a long story to tell about a very short trip I was on that ended in minutes with a very quick fall.

This soup and I met on a rainy Alaskan night. There were no walks on the beach but we did get caught on the rain. The piña coladas were on an entirely different continent and man oh man, how I wished I had champagne to kill the pain. But this soup from Cordova, Alaska’s local Fishwives, and it’s subtle Thai-inspired flavors saved me instead.

continue to the recipe… about Fish Chowder With Copper River Salmon

Curry Turkey Pot Pie With Homemade Butter Pie Crust

November 18, 2014

Put your Thanksgiving turkey leftovers to good use with this pot pie! The addition of curry powder lends aromatic flavor in this fun twist on the classic chicken pot pie, which also features the most tender and flaky all butter crust.

Pie, pie, pie. It’s all anyone is talking about this time of year. Today I’m talking pie, too. But not just any pie. I’m diverting from the sweet side and heading South to savory to share my FAVORITE recipe: My mother-in-law’s Curry Turkey Pot Pie. And to make it even more special, it’s topped—and bottomed—with a heaven is waiting for this butter crust.

I may start making pies every day of the week because for this wanna be baker, this recipe proved that once you get the basics down, baking pies is really that easy.

The turkey, veggies and creamy filling of the pot pie are the heart of the dish, but the crust is where it finds its soul. And I like me a buttery, flakey soul.

continue to the recipe… about Curry Turkey Pot Pie With Homemade Butter Pie Crust

Sweet Corn, Gouda and Farro Risotto Plus 15 More Farro Recipes You’ll Love Forever

October 16, 2014

Move over quinoa, there’s a new grain in town.

Well, now, wait a minute. Farro is far from new with its roots running deep, deep, deep (pun intended) and this ancient grain is making major waves in the foodie scene.

The 90’s were all about couscous (which I still adore), the 00’s saw the wave of wild and unusual rices, and who can’t open a cookbook / food blog / food magazine for the past few years without seeing the glories of quinoa being extolled from the high heavens. But do you farro? If not, you should.

Farro is one of those wonder grains that to a lot of us mainstream eaters in the U.S., seems a bit outlandish and even exotic. But is it? If you consider the grain of choice that ancient Egyptian kings dined on as exotic, then yes, exotic it is. I mean, they were KINGS! But that hardly makes this grain unapproachable or intimidating. In fact, farro might be the easiest grain of all to cook and it’s versatility will have quinoa looking hard and fast in the rear view mirror, just waiting for farro to take over it’s first place run in the superfood popularity polls.

continue to the recipe… about Sweet Corn, Gouda and Farro Risotto Plus 15 More Farro Recipes You’ll Love Forever

The Best Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

September 16, 2014

It may be an age-old wives tale, but according to mothers, grandmothers and any soup lover, there truly is no better cure for anything and everything that ails you than homemade chicken noodle soup made with chunky carrots, celery and always savory chicken stock. It’s the ultimate comfort food and incredibly easy to make.

Typically when I place my grocery haul on the grocery store check-out line conveyer belt, it’s a hodge podge assortment of ingredients that doesn’t give anyone a hint as to what’s going on in my kitchen at home. As voyeurs peeking into other’s lives, do the checkers notice (or even care) that you buy all organic with a side of doughnuts on every trip? That you buy enough food to feed an army or simply pick up a passel of frozen dinners for one? And do they judge your cooking skills—or lack thereof—depending on what exotic—or mundane—ingredients fill your basket?

So it wasn’t much of a shocker when I showed up to the 15 items or fewer line that the grocery store clerk asked me if I had someone at home who was under the weather thanks to my collection of a bottle of Chloraseptic, two different brands of throat losenges and all the fixin’s for homemade chicken noodle soup.

I’ll do everything and anything to cure my little girl’s wicked cold and sore throat. So when my baby doll requested a soother of soup for her sickly sore throat, as her adoring mother, I hopped to and got myself into the grocery store check out line and then straight back into the kitchen to whip up a homemade broth that makes the BEST chicken noodle soup, hands down beating anything out of a can.

How to Make Chicken Noodle Soup from Scratch

Why make homemade soup when you can just pry open a can? Duh! Because it’s exponentially better tasting and better for you! Making homemade chicken noodle soup can sound time-consuming and intimidating, but in reality, it’s one of the easiest recipes to prepare and master. Even the homemade chicken broth is amazingly simple, so long as you follow a few tricks I’m sharing here. And once you’ve made it homemade, you’re going to have a terribly time ever considering going back to the canned stuff.

First, homemade chicken noodle soup starts with a homemade broth, and it suprisingly easy to make. It’s the same broth I use for my matzo ball soup and is one I’ve adapted (loosely) from Ina Garten and one of the many episodes of The Barefoot Contessa I’ve absorbed over the years. Here’s how.

I used 2 chicken breasts and 2 chicken legs in this recipe for stock, but if you have a 3 1/2 to 4 pound whole bird on hand, go ahead and substitute it. You may need to adjust your cooking time, so just test the chicken for doneness and taste the stock for flavor as you go.

I always boil my noodles separately from the chicken broth, then add to the soup, otherwise, they absorb up all of the delicious broth as they cook.

If by chance you accidentally simmer away too much of your broth, have a high quality boxed chicken stock on hand to spread the soupyness a little further.

What You Can Put in Chicken Noodle Soup

There’s so much variety you can do with chicken noodle soup. My standard go-to soup always has onion, carrots, celery, chicken, garlic, and parsley with egg noodles. I always use egg noodles in my soup, but go back and forth between the shorter, fatter, extra wide egg noodles from Manischewitz and these thicker and toothier egg noodles from Montana’s Country Pasta. I always have a bag of each on hand.

To switch things up, you could also think about adding:

Peas
Corn
Lemon
Potatoes
Rice
Whole grains such as farro, quinoa
Gnocchi
Wontons
Matzo balls
You can make it creamy by adding cream, half and half or even coconut milk.
Switch out the parsley with cilantro or tarragon for a totally different flavor.

Spices to Add to Chicken Noodle Soup

I like to use fresh herbs and spices in my soup, and mainly when cooking my broth, but always keeping it baseline and simple.

When making the homemade broth I use a big handful of fresh parsley and a few sprigs of thyme. To that I always add 2-3 dried bay leaves with 6-8 black peppercorns. Seasoning the broth with kosher salt is important as that is what provides the pronunciation of its flavor. My secret ingredient is adding 3 chicken bouillon cubes for a bit of extra chicken-y-ness. Once the broth is prepared, I discard all the bones and aromatics, and pour the broth over a strainer to remove any of the fine bits for a pure and delicious stock.

Then to the soup I keep it simple with herbs and add in chopped parsley and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

If you’d like to play around, consider adding these herbs for different flavor combinations:

Lemongrass, for a fresh lemony bite
Marjoram, similar to oregano but more subtle in earthyness
Tarragon, adds a mellow licorice flavor
Ginger, adds a spicy, somewhat sweet flavor
Fennel, adds a sweet, perfumey, anise-like flavor
Dill, added right before serving it gives the soup a bright flavor

Shortcut to Semi-Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Soooo, sometimes there’s no time to make homemade broth and maybe you’ve run out your freezer stash too. What to do? Doctor up the store-bought variety. Here’s how.

Choose a quality chicken stock. At this point you’re going to want to choose stock over broth to get that deeper, chicken flavor.

When you but the stock, purchase twice as much as the recipe calls for. Then, pretend this is the water portion of the homemade broth and boil your vegetables and herbs (leave out the peppercorns) for at least 30 minutes to deepen the stock’s flavor. Strain, and continue on with the recipe.

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Bookmark this recipe and leave a comment below, or take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Homemade chicken noodle soup tastes best with homemade chicken stock, which is suprisingly easy to make at home with leftover roasted chicken bones.

Ingredients

2 split chicken breasts with ribs and skin on
2 chicken drumsticks with skin
1 yellow onion peeled and cut into quarters
1 head of garlic unpeeled and cut in half crosswise
6 carrots leaving 2 of them unpeeled and cut into halves, and the remaining 4 peeled and cut into 1/4 inch rounds
6 ribs celery two of them cut in half and the remaining cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 parsnip unpeeled cut into 3-inch chunks
1 bunch fresh Italian parsley
1 bunch fresh thyme
3 chicken bouillon cubes
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1-2 tablespoons kosher salt
6 ounces extra wide egg noodles

Instructions

Add the chicken pieces, onion, head of garlic, two unpeeled and halved carrots, two ribs of celery halves, parsnip halves to a large stock pot. Tie 15 stems of Italian parsley and 15 stems of thyme with a bit of kitchen string and add to the pot.
Cover with cold water 1-2 inches above the chicken and veggies or 14 cups of water. Add 3 chicken bouillon cubes, bay leaves, black peppercorns and kosher salt. Bring to a boil then reduce to a lightly rolling simmer and cook uncovered for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours or until chicken is cooked through and tender and stock is well flavored. If the stock tastes weak, add another chicken bouillon soup and a bit more salt.
Transfer the chicken to a plate to cool and remove the vegetables from the stock and discard. Place a strainer over a large bowl and strain the broth. Return the broth to the stock pot and add the chopped carrots and celery. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium and cook for 10 minutes. Add the egg noodles and cook for another 8 minutes or until noodles are tender but chewy. Remove the skin from the chicken and shred the chicken with two forks. Depending on the size of the chicken breasts, start by adding 3/4 of the shredded chicken to the soup then add more if you have enough broth or reserve for another use. Season with more salt and pepper if desired and stir in 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley and serve hot.

More Ideas for Chicken Noodle Soup

The classics will always be, but sometimes we need to add a little spin for the chicken win. Here are a few food blogs who’ve done just that.

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Baked Balsamic Vegetables and Roasted Garlic

July 23, 2014

Even if you don’t readily know the name, you’ve certainly taken notice of their brightly colored hues of their noticeably durable, obviously quality cookware.

And if you’re like me, you’ve coveted the day you could add a piece to your growing kitchen collection. What cook doesn’t covet owning a quality, enameled baking vessel that performs each and every duty it’s assigned at the stove or oven and is equally presentable at the table.

If only Le Creuset® also created boyfriends worthy to take home to the parents for presentation, we’d really be in business.

While they may not be in the match making business, Le Creuset® definitely knows cookery. And now, they’ve added yet another baking beauty to their storied line of distinctly cool kitchen cooking accessories and I’m giving you the chance to win not just one, but TWO Cocottes, for yourself.

continue to the recipe… about Baked Balsamic Vegetables and Roasted Garlic

Grilled Shrimp Vietnamese Spring Rolls

June 12, 2014

One of the things I’ve read in self-help business books, absorbed from my favorite podcasts and basically just learned along the way of life is that the most successful people are the ones who delegate.

Delegation = Getting Shit Done.

Once upon a time I fancied myself a great delegator. I could look at a situation, see the vision of what needed to get done, figure out the most efficient path to achieve it and direct the peeps in my camp to go forth and prosper.

But lately, I feel like I’ve lost my knack in finding the track. And it’s left me feeling a little defeated and floundering like a fish out of water.

That said, my husband will still say I’m bossy. I prefer to call it delegating to others by educating them in my view of efficiencies. Okay, I admit it, I’m a nag.

So why is it so hard to let others help? To not just do it all yourself? To share those details you’ve learned in the school of hard knocks? Hey, it’s okay to stop being the martyr!

One of the best and worst parts of working as a solopreneur behind the curtain of a 27-inch HD computer screen is exactly that: you work by yourself. You do the drudge work, you own the good with the bad.

But you can also find yourself reverting to that 6-year-old who has to learn how to share—all over again.

Because when you share, good things happen.

continue to the recipe… about Grilled Shrimp Vietnamese Spring Rolls

Sweet Carrots with Tarragon and My Easter Inspired Faves

April 16, 2014

Glazing. Usually reserved for doughnuts, bone-in hams and the special technique my husband uses to make old and tired 1980’s honey oak cabinets magically transform into bright and white brand spakin’ new kitchen cubpoards. He’s a staining magician, that guy.

But today ‘da glaze is saved for ‘da carrots. Ta-’da.

It’s time for Easter eats and you probably have all of your main dish ingredients scribbled on the back of an envelope ready to push into the dark corners of your purse so that when you get to the store you get to frantically dig for the dang piece of paper. That’s just one of the reasons I use this shopping list app, so I don’t go stark raving maniac in the vegetable aisle.

Carrots are the quintessential Easter side dish addition. You can thank Peter and Bugs for that one. But, let’s get real. They’re expected, trite and too often B-O-R-I-N-G.

Not this time folks.

A simple—aka light—glaze of honey and butter sweetens up the orange little jewels. Tarragon and orange zest gives them the ying and yang of earthy licorice and fresh citrus in each bite. Kosher salt, just like with everything else, brings out all of the flavors and melds them together.

It’s a simple recipe. And for any entertaining cook, that’s the recipe for deliciousness.

continue to the recipe… about Sweet Carrots with Tarragon and My Easter Inspired Faves

Gluten-Free Quinoa and Cauliflower Chowder

March 17, 2014

Do you have your megaphone ready? I’m digging my husband’s out of the garage.

Yep, he has a megaphone because he’s in a band, you know, for “special effects” and stuff. He also has these weirdo 1960’s goggles and a suit covered in Christmas lights—because he’s in a band.

But that’s another story for another day.

Today’s story is that we’re all banding together and shouting at the top of our lungs—or into said megaphone if you have one handy—we’re shouting, “GOODBYE FROZEN TUNDRA, and good riddance.” Why? Because (happy dance) this week marks the official first day of spring. Yes!

But that certainly doesn’t signal the end of eating savory soups and stews. Heck, this is just the beginning.

And since we’ll probably do the winter/spring dance tease of warm one day, cold the next and I’m sure I’ll have to cover my tomatoes for at least two more snow storms, this gluten-free chowder is just one way to walk the tightrope of comfort food cravings and spring clean eats desires.

Last week I may have said I wasn’t a devout whole foodie. And now, here I am, posting whole foods. To me, that is exactly how a foodie should be. Balanced. Eating what feels right. What cures the craving.

Lightened up, but still savory, this chowder is a great #MeatlessMonday meal. Because that’s what I’m craving now.

continue to the recipe… about Gluten-Free Quinoa and Cauliflower Chowder

Buffalo Chicken Fettuccine

March 10, 2014

Lazy, dazy comfort food days. That’s what weekends are made of. And that’s when my man takes charge in the kitchen.

I’ve told you before about how my guy (I call him G-Dawg, because we’re gangstas like that) makes appearances here on the blog as a pretty good hand model, a stellar dish washer and super cute sous chef who can dice an onion so precisely it puts Bobby Flay to shame.

But his real talent is in front of the stove creating crazy mash-ups of our favorite foods. And this Buffalo Chicken Fettuccine is sure to be one that will go down as one of his masterpieces.

The recipe is inspired by three of our favorite food groups: pasta, chicken and hot sauce. Yes, you heard it right, hot sauce IS a food group. I’m claiming it now.

continue to the recipe… about Buffalo Chicken Fettuccine

Chicken Pot Pie Pizza

February 18, 2014

Chicken Pot Pie could quite possibly take the lead in the race for my favorite meal ever. Three different times I’ve started a blog post to share my favorite comfort food, to cook and photograph my traditional Chicken Pot Pie recipe.

And each time it doesn’t happen.

Because it just isn’t perfect enough to take a picture of. Or ~~I’m~~ my family is too dang hungry to wait for a picture to be taken of the final result and we end up destroying the flaky crust with our digging for pot pie gold forks. Those are the reasons I’ve yet to post my Chicken Pot Pie on the bloggity blog.

I’m going to have to make an extra effort to work on that. And that’s why this traditional recipe just found a brand new vessel to take for a test drive.

continue to the recipe… about Chicken Pot Pie Pizza

Skinny Slow Cooker Kale and Turkey Meatball Soup

January 8, 2014

This healthy spin on classic Italian Wedding Soup is made lighter with turkey meatballs, white beans, and plenty of kale, all in a light and comforting broth.

We’re all feeling it, aren’t we? It wouldn’t be the New Year without focusing on cleaning up, clearing out and and cleansing from tip to toe.

Keeping with my new year tradition every single year, I’m taking advantage of my healthy resolve and I’m eating clean. This week. And maybe next. With just a side of butter and maybe a bite or six of cheese. And please, don’t hold it against me if there’s a nibble of chocolate here and there.

Balance, it’s the new black.

In thinking about eating strategies and menu planning, I still have cravings that need to be filled. Savory but simple. Filling and fortifying.

And can we make it in the slow cooker please?

continue to the recipe… about Skinny Slow Cooker Kale and Turkey Meatball Soup

Beet, Carrot and Pomegranate Salad

December 17, 2013

Winter brings with it a lot of amazing things. Snowflakes and holiday parties with sparkly shoes are some of the best. Puffy coats that make me feel like Randy in A Christmas Story thanks to ridiculously cold sub-zero temps, not so much. Those freezing temps? They can go find somewhere else to invade while I go shopping for something basic to go with my gold flecked shoes. Or maybe I’ll just wear this Beet, Carrot and Pomegranate Salad. I mean, it’s prettier and more jeweled up than anything I have in my closet.

While I’m snacking a nibble or 83 of cookies, fudge and a waffle here and there, I’m still craving salads in this frigid cold to bring me out of my sugar coma. I crave lettuce-ed leafed salads all summer long but when winter nips the freshness off the local lettuce buds, veggies with girth are what I look for now.

At a recent foray to our winter farmer’s market, I saw these beet beauties carats of carrots and scooped them straight up. Candy striped beets, carrots of red, yellow and purple’d pinks. These things needed a stage, and I knew exactly what to do with them.

continue to the recipe… about Beet, Carrot and Pomegranate Salad

Lemon Chicken Stew

October 14, 2013

A one-pot dinner is a must-make meal for any new mom and dad. And with a lemony twist on the classic chicken and rice soup—this time with orzo pasta that helps thicken this flavor-filled cooking bonanza—my Lemon Chicken Stew, is a spunked up contribution to a virtual baby shower for my fellow food blogger Liz at The Lemon Bowl.

Every mom needs to catch a break, especially in the kitchen. While I’m a lover of the cookin’, I’m not much of a fan of the washin’.

That’s why this Lemon Chicken Stew is the perfect one-pot dinner—with leftovers for the next day—for any new mom and dad ready to pucker up and kiss those newborn baby toes.

One pot, that’s all. Dinner is served.

continue to the recipe… about Lemon Chicken Stew

Dinner is for Kids: Spaghetti Tacos Recipe

September 4, 2012

I know, I know. You’re sitting there, staring at this post and thinking this recipe is one of those “Oh let’s see how outlandish we can be and create an oddball recipe just to be different.”

Well, it is and it isn’t.

Blame it on Spencer. He’s Carly’s big brother.

Smudge has been relentlessly requesting Spaghetti Tacos ever since she saw the first episode of Nickelodeon’s iCarly. Which means its been, like, 2 years.

And surprisinglly, I think it’s pretty good too.

continue to the recipe… about Dinner is for Kids: Spaghetti Tacos Recipe

Matzo Ball Soup with Chicken Meatballs and Homemade Chicken Broth Recipe

April 3, 2012

I’m not Jewish. But I am definitely a matzo ball lover.

It all started with late night jaunts to the classic Canters Deli where I became an obsessive fan of matzo ball soup with all the fixins’: noodle, matzo ball, kreplach, chicken and carrots. What the crap is a kerplach you ask? It’s sort of a jewish tortellini and pretty darned good.

But oh, THE BROTH. That delicious broth that brought me back to my senses in those wee late night hours. If only I could replicate it—the broth, not the late hours. But I’m no Jewish mother—although my husband will say I do have the stereotypical tendencies. Sadly, those secret, Old World ways of chicken broth making may never make it to my stove.

But I do have a delicious recipe that hits home and curbs my matzo ball craving every time. And what better time to share with you than in celebration of Passover and Easter weekend. Yum. You’ll soon be a believer.

continue to the recipe… about Matzo Ball Soup with Chicken Meatballs and Homemade Chicken Broth Recipe

Craving > Spicy Hominy and Chicken Soup for SoupaPalooza

March 1, 2012

It’s been one sorry, sorry, SORRY winter for snow. Usually by this time of year I’ve had my snow shovel out at least 8 times and have created at least 4 snowmen. But this year I haven’t even dusted off my snow boots. And that bums me out because they’re cute. And warm. And I love ’em.

So just when I’ve finished all my kvetching about no snow and finally weaned myself from the longing for a big old fashioned winter dump, what happens? It snows this morning. Really? Really you swarmy groundhog Punxsutawney Phil? I was finally dreaming of blossoming cherry trees, swimming pools and lemonade and here we go, more winter. I wonder if the Leap Year had anything to do with it. Hmmm, a metaphysical diabolical scheme.

Luckily, I had a quick and easy winter soup recipe at the ready. continue to the recipe… about Craving > Spicy Hominy and Chicken Soup for SoupaPalooza

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