onion

The Best Easy Grilled Vegetables

After years of practice on the grill, these are my tips for the best easy grilled vegetables, enhancing the natural sweetness of summer’s favorite vegetables with each smoky bite.

Adding more plants to meals is always at the top of my menu planning, and summer’s bounty makes it even easier to do. With a hot grill already fired up for grilled chicken, fish, or kebabs, I love slicing up whatever fresh vegetables I have in the fridge and tossing them on the grill for a simple mezze-ish platter side.

Even more, grilled vegetables are a healthy vegetarian main when chopped and added to this favorite healthy pasta salad (with avocado!), or added to healthy Mediterranean grain bowls, or made into one of my favorite easy grilled veggie sandwiches slathered with ricotta cheese.

Grilling coaxes out every bit of deep, roasted, sweetness from any plain old veg, softening and flavoring and bringing a lush, smoky char to each deliciously addicting bite.

This grilled vegetable recipe is another that isn’t so much of a recipe but a method to master, and easy to master it is. These grilled vegetables skip the marinade and the skewers, and there’s no need for a grilled vegetable grilling basket either.

Summer eats are meant to be simple, and these grilled vegetables are falling right in line.

continue to the recipe… about The Best Easy Grilled Vegetables

The Best French Onion Soup

This traditional French Onion Soup recipe has a rich, decadent broth loaded with caramelized onions and topped with everyone’s favorite part: the toasted bread and melty cheese.

Rich and Delicious Homemade French Onion Soup

If there’s one soup I absolutely cannot resist, it’s french onion soup. I’m a bit of a snob when it comes to F.O.S., so don’t bother with that watery broth or get stingey with the onions. And please, make sure that cheese is plentiful and melty and creates a serious cheese pull.

As an expert french onion soup taster, I’ve narrowed down my very most favorite versions. There’s that one from that French Bistro in San Francisco, and the one I first had when I was probably 11 or 12, shopping with my mom at Trolley Square with lunch at The Pub, now known as Desert Edge Brewery, where they still serve a very good version. I seriously thought I had hit adult hood with our special lunches out.

But my new number one favorite French Onion Soup is from Nordstrom Café Bistro. It’s where my mom and I usually stop for a bite when we go shopping together, which in all honestly is actually our excuse to get this french onion soup. I loved it so much after eating it so many times that I asked them for the recipe, and surprise, surprise, they said yes. It’s now replaced my original french onion soup recipe here on the blog because it really is so much better.continue to the recipe… about The Best French Onion Soup

French Onion Dip

This homemade French Onion Dip mixes sweet caramelized onion with Greek yogurt to make a healthy dip that’s the hit of the party.

This recipe is brought to you by Stonyfield

You see it at every party as the host tries to steer guests out of the kitchen and into the actual party. But people linger, dipping into the appetizer nibbles, and always congregating around the food.

And what’s the favorite at every party? It’s always the chips and dip. Everyone loves a dip. Because what’s not to love?

And pretty much there’s no dip more lovable than an easy, savory, French Onion Dip. It’s the gateway drug for anyone who claims they don’t like onions. It’s caramelized and sweet, and sturdy enough to take on any veggie or chip.

The only thing better? The fact that this homemade French Onion Dip tastes better because it’s made healthier with organic Greek yogurt.

continue to the recipe… about French Onion Dip

Easy Homemade Beef Broth Stock

A rich and flavorful homemade beef broth stock is one of the essential recipes every home cook should have in their array of kitchen cooking basics.

Back in the day there were recipes home cooks didn’t even have to think twice about how to make because they made the same dishes so often no recipe was needed. Cooking was done by touch, intuition, and repetition.

Remember when you’d ask grandma how she knew when the pie dough had enough moisture or how she could tell the chicken was cooked through? The answer was annoyingly cryptic and didn’t really help things when she replied, “You just know.”

But now, with pre-made ingredients and an avalanche of recipe options at our fingertips, we can make just about any style of cuisine without batting an eye. But as a byproduct of creating these dazzling Pinterest friendly meals, making some of the good-old, most commonly used basics, like homemade broths and stocks, has fallen out of favor.

It’s time to get back to the basics friends. Back to real good real food.

A few months ago I shared my recipe for the very best chicken stock because it seems that homemade broths and stocks are rarely on the must-make radar of today’s home cook. The reasons vary from assuming it takes way too much time to make them from scratch to being unsure what ingredients go in the dang recipe (and fyi it isn’t just the meat that matters, its the bones!)

That’s why I’m waving my foodie recipe wand and pulling the beefy secrets out of my hat so that….TADAAAA!!!! Your bone stock broth cure is here.

This post breaks it all down, with simple steps and fool-proof instructions that’ll put you on your way to making homemade beef stock with confidence. Let’s go.continue to the recipe… about Easy Homemade Beef Broth Stock

Heavenly Funeral Potatoes Recipe

Funeral potatoes are an easy-to-make and even easier-to-love comfort food casserole that is totally heaven sent.

This recipe is brought to you by Cache Valley Cheese

If you grew up in Utah, there’s a 99.9% chance you’ve had (and loved) funeral potatoes. If you haven’t lived in Utah, you’re likely scratching your head wondering what in the world am I talking about?!? Unless you’re from the South, then you may be in the know, too.

This potato casserole’s roots run deep in the LDS faith and are a long-lived staple at family gatherings of every sort, including potlucks, family dinners, and any Sunday night dinner. My Grandma used to serve them at Christmas with her Roasted Turkey Breast with Oregano and Lemon with warm potato rolls, and believe me, rarely were there any potato casserole leftovers to be found.

So where did funeral potato casserole get it’s name? It’s from years and years of being served following Mormon funeral services, typically prepared by the ladies of the ward (aka the Mormon congregation) for a luncheon gathering for families and friends and pretty much anyone who crossed the threshold. I’m not Mormon, but I’ve been to several Mormon funerals, and I can bear witness that you’ve never seen so many pans of potato casserole than at a Mormon funeral. Proof that food does indeed heal.

But there’s another reason they’re called funeral potatoes, and that’s because they’re absolutely heavenly.

continue to the recipe… about Heavenly Funeral Potatoes Recipe

Green Bean Casserole with Onion Rings

The classic green bean casserole gets a real food upgrade with fresh green beans and an easy to make, homemade mushroom sauce for a creamy side dish with a surprise crispy ingredient-crunch.

This recipe is brought to you by Alexia Foods

I see you over there, saying to yourself, “But Heidi, the classic green bean casserole is my favorite. Why go changing?”

I get it. The classics are hard to leave behind, especially when they’re tied to food memories of time spent with family. But times change, tastes evolve, and the last time I was passed an 11 X 13 casserole dish of green bean casserole, it was a smattering of stunted, semi-green beans slathered in a greasy goop of a greyish gravy instead of a flavorful sauce.

Thanks, but I think I’ll pass.

So unless you’re still using a rotary telephone or parading to the sock hop in your poodle skirt, I’m betting you’ll be more than happy to consider this Thanksgiving side dish upgrade, too.

The original green bean casserole was created during the era of home cooks transitioning from making real-food, from-scratch meals to relishing in the time-saving methods that cooking from a box or can delivered. Now…I am the first one to raise my hand when asked to try a method that saves time in the kitchen. But I won’t sacrifice flavor or taste for the interest of time.

That’s why when I can call out my inner Sandra Lee and create a semi-homemade dish that combines real, fresh ingredients with real, time-saving ingredients, everyone (especially me) is happy at the table.

How to Make a Better Green Bean Casserole

Better Green Beans The original green bean casserole calls for canned or frozen green beans, and while flash-frozen green beans are a good option because they retain their nutrients, I use fresh green beans because I simply prefer the taste. To take the raw edge off, I shock the fresh green beans in boiling water for a minute or two, or until they turn bright green, and drain. You could also steam them for a minute or so in the microwave with a tablespoon or two of water. Or, use the frozen variety if you prefer, just be sure to thaw and drain the excess water so your casserole doesn’t get runny.

Better Creamed Sauce Instead of using high-sodium canned soup, I make my super easy standard white sauce where I can control how much salt goes into it. It’s flavored with fresh, sautéed mushrooms and onions with a bit of fresh thyme. The white sauce ingredient ratios are easy to remember –> 2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons flour and 2 cups milk or vegetable or chicken stock = 2:2:2. If you prefer a thinner sauce, add more chicken stock (this one’s my FAVORITE!), or for even more flavor, add white wine.

Better Crunchy Topping One of the signature flavors of le casserole de green bean is the crispy crunchy topper, and this is where I add another spin to the original recipe and use chef-inspired All Natural Alexia Crispy Onion Rings. I’m a big fan of onion rings, but I want them thick and crunchy, and definitely not greasy—and these rings totally deliver.

The all natural slices of Alexia’s sweet Spanish onions get their crunch from a coating of panko breading seasoned with sea salt that bakes up crisp and light. And even better, as I stood in the freezer aisle at my local Smith’s Marketplace and reviewed the ingredient list on the onion ring package, I recognized every simple ingredient and discovered they also have zero grams trans fat.

Simple all natural ingredients. Easy to find at the store (like my Smith’s aka Kroger). Easy to keep on hand at home.

For this recipe I baked the frozen onion rings for 10 minutes, then transferred them to the top of the green beans to continue baking with the whole green bean mushroom creamy goodness mix in the oven.

More Classic Thanksgiving Recipes With a Twist

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.

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Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients

1 pound green beans fresh or frozen
1 11- ounce bag Alexia Crispy Onion Rings with Panko Breading and Sea Salt
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
10 ounces brown cremini mushrooms sliced, about 4 cups
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon thyme
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk or half and half
1/2 cup white wine or chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Instructions

Trim the green beans and cut in half, then place in a microwave-safe bowl with 2 tablespoons water and cook for 3 minutes. Drain, and set aside. If using frozen, thaw in the microwave or on the counter and drain any excess water.
Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the onion rings on the tray and bake for 10 minutes or until the onion rings are crisp. Set aside.
While the onion rings are baking, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and add the onions. Cook the onions for 3-5 minutes or until they begin to soften and become translucent. Add the sliced mushrooms and season with 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt, black pepper, and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until the mushrooms are tender. Sprinkle the mixture with the flour, stir to combine, and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring so the flour doesn't burn but does cook out the flour-y taste. Add the milk or half and half, wine or chicken broth, and the nutmeg and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring, or until the sauce has reduced by half. Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the green beans. Transfer half of the bean mixture to a 2-quart casserole dish, or 11 x 7- or 8-inch square baking dish and top with half of the onion rings, then the rest of the beans and top with the remaining onion rings.
Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and the sauce is bubbly. Let sit for 5-10 minutes, the sauce will thicken as it cools.

This post is in partnership with Alexia Foods. Follow along on Alexia’s Facebook and Instagram, or check out their website to see their chef-inspired flavors, real ingredients, healthy alternatives and recipes. As always, thank you for reading and supporting companies I partner with, which allows me to create more unique content and recipes for you. All opinions are always my own.

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Slow Cooker Healthy Turkey and Sweet Potato Chili with Quinoa

Comfort food chili cravings never tasted so healthy, until now. This easy slow cooker chili is protein-packed with lean ground turkey, light and dark kidney beans, plus quinoa for an extra safety-net protein source that will keep you filled and full all day long and into the night.

It’s 5:30 p.m. and the sun has set behind the mountains and the sky has already settled into dark. There’s a chill is in the air and comfort food is what we’re all craving now. Turkey Pot Pie? Mac and Cheese? Sausage Lasagna? All delicious in their own right, but not exactly the lightest of fare.

And now that the fall season is here, the wrangling and jostling for the T.V. remote has begun. The World Series? (go Dodgers!). The Voice? (I’m with J-Hud Productions). More tears and tissues while crying with This Is Us? (I mean, seriously!) Or finally, a new Walking Dead? (My Smudge and I are convinced our Big Daddy should be Negan for Halloween.)

Our television viewing habits are as hotly debated as what sounds best for dinner.

But tonight, there’s one less argument to make because Big Mama (that’s me) thought ahead (for once) and put dinner in the slow cooker. And just like that, a healthy dinner is served. And surprise, AliSmudge and Big Daddy don’t even complain that it’s oh-so good for them. But why would they? This homemade turkey chili is delish! And better yet, it’s so simple to make.continue to the recipe… about Slow Cooker Healthy Turkey and Sweet Potato Chili with Quinoa

How to Make Homemade One-Pot Sloppy Joes

Forget the cans of Manwich sloppy joe sauce, because my mom’s homemade Sloppy Joes recipe is just as easy to make and sixty-four (or more) times as good, especially knowing there’s a generous helping of vegetables inside our homemade, ground hamburger-ed, comfort food, beef-ey sandwich.

Remember the days when licking your plate was encouraged? They still are. And your fingers, and your chin too.

I originally published this recipe in the earlier days of le FoodieCrush blog, and after making it time and time again, I felt it was time for a little refresh. It’s totally worthy.

One of my favorite dinners as a kid was always Sloppy Joes, and the memories of stealing tastes of this burger/veggie mixture as it simmered on the stove still renders the same take-a-bite-then-burn-the-top-of-my-mouth-oh-no-it’s-now-become-a-blister result today as I hear the subliminal retort of my mom echo in my adult ear to “leave it alone or there’ll be nothing left for the rest of us to eat.”

Guilty as charged. But, sorry mom, I still can’t help myself. And if you’re a fan of easy recipes and you make this one, my mom will tell you it’s okay that you taste-test your way through the making of it, too.

And I’m here to attest, the top-of-the-mouth-blisters are totally worth it.continue to the recipe… about How to Make Homemade One-Pot Sloppy Joes

Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Stuffed Bell Peppers

Fresh green bell peppers become their own all-in-one serving vessel when stuffed with chicken, rice, mushrooms, and a creamy mushroom-infused sauce to create a weeknight dinner that puts the all the essential nutrients in one easy-to-make and totally delicious dinner.

You know how you have staples in your culinary repertoire? Those dishes that no matter how gourmet you try to fool your family and friends into thinking you are—and more often trying to convince yourself? The recipes that are the staple for Sunday night comfort food cravings and oh so easy to make on a weeknight, too?

This here recipe is one of them. Crave-a-licious.

I first shared this stuffed bell pepper recipe nearly 5-years-to-the-day-ago and after referring back to it so many times over the years, I felt it needed an update. Five years ago it was one of our go-to, favorite dinners then, and it absolutely still is today.

My mom used to make stuffed peppers with hamburger and tomato sauce, but as I kid I was so. not. into. peppers. Ew. But true to form, I began to like them the more I had them. I keep telling myself my little girl AliSmudge would be making the turn too. And she has. Oh yes, she’s a fan too.

My man and and I came up with this stuffed bell peppers recipe that will forever be in our top 5 favorite meals to make at home: Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Stuffed Bell Peppers for the all-in-one-dinner-for-the-stuffed-bell-pepper-win.

continue to the recipe… about Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Stuffed Bell Peppers

Chunky Citrus Guacamole

Chunky with a citrus-ey accent or both lime and orange juice plus a hit of spice and just enough girth to make any chip happy, it’s the perfect combo to welcome some spring weather with a few salty corn chips and a nice cold beverage.

If it weren’t for guacamole serving as my avocado gateway, the jury is out on whether I would ever have become an avocado fan. Now, they’re one of my favorite things to eat, so how could it be there was a time I didn’t like them?

Just like artichokes, it wasn’t until I was in my late teens that I finally gave in to even trying avocados. I have no idea where my aversion stemmed from. Maybe I just had an aversion to fruits and veggies that started with the letter A?

There are as many guacamole recipes out there in the world as there are stars in the sky and we all have our favorite, and this chunky homemade version is mine.

My husband came up with this guacamole recipe years ago and it was one of the first recipes I published here on the blog when I announced the first issue of FoodieCrush magazine along with some of my favorite things. But after making this guacamole time and time again, my photos and this post were in need of an update.continue to the recipe… about Chunky Citrus Guacamole

Quick Korean Spicy Slaw Recipe

This quick coleslaw version of Korean kimchi has all of the classic Asian flavor but is ready to eat in 30 minutes or less.

Kimchi is having it’s day in the culinary spotlight with a whole new slew of devotees who are loving the vibrant flavors of its age-old traditional Korean fermented flavors.

And then, there are the haters. Okay, that’s a strong word. Let’s instead call them the misinformed, those who sadly share a not always positive perception of kimchi. “Ew, it smells.” “Why would you bury your food in the ground?” “It must be hard to make.”

Hardly so. Especially when you make take all the flavors to make a quick Asian cabbage slaw instead. continue to the recipe… about Quick Korean Spicy Slaw Recipe

Tomato Avocado Cucumber and Maui Onion Salad

This simple tomato, cucumber, and avocado salad gets a spicy Mexican-flavor kick from jalapeños and a fresh lime and chile dressing that makes it a terrific side dish for any meal.

I’m not a chef. I’m a home cook. But many of my recipes are inspired by dishes I’ve enjoyed that were created by real life chefs. It’s one of my favorite reasons for eating out, to get new inspiration for le bloggity blog.

I had a rendition of this simple tomato salad at a restaurant called Monkeypod Kitchen while vacationing in Maui. A friend of mine who lived in Maui for a time messaged me while we were there that we MUST make it a point to eat at Monkeypod, it was one of her favorites.

Friend recommendations are always the best.

The menu was full of delicious, fresh fare, and being the tomato caprese salad lover that I am, once I spied this salad with a flavorful twist on their menu, I was immediately intrigued. continue to the recipe… about Tomato Avocado Cucumber and Maui Onion Salad

French Onion Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Today is a big day in the world of cheese lovers. It’s National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day. Two snaps and let’s celebrate.

I know. They make food holidays out of the oddest of food themes: Bologna Day (October 24). Fruit cocktail day (May 13). Bicarbonate of soda day (December 30). What?

But for pretty much every food lover everywhere, Grilled Cheese Day is officially one to break bread for. I mean, it’s cheese. And I’ve made it my goal to share a cheesy fave every GCDay since I started this bloggity blog back in 2011. So let’s dig into this melty onion, cheesy favorite between two slices of sourdough bread.

Who needs brothy soup anyway?continue to the recipe… about French Onion Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Macaroni Salad with Smoked Mozzarella and Proscuitto

This easy, tangy pasta salad mixes traditional macaroni salad with Mediterranean flavors to create a new family favorite potluck salad.

Common etiquette rules that if you’re invited to a friendly BBQ, you offer to bring something to add to the pot.

So when I ask the big question, I often hear, “Sure that would be great. How about a side dish?”

Many hosts think they’re doing you a favor by offering the wide berth of side dish options. But this simple phrase can throw some self-respecting cooks into a triple gainer upside down axel with a spin.

Bringing a “little something” to a barbecue or potluck shouldn’t be that hard, but the vast spectrum of “side dish” gets some of us sideways.

But it doesn’t have to be like that at all…continue to the recipe… about Macaroni Salad with Smoked Mozzarella and Proscuitto

Market Street Clam Chowder Recipe

This recipe is a favorite I published in the early days of FoodieCrush. This past weekend I ran into a friend at the grocery store who said she’d been searching for the famous clam chowder recipe from Salt Lake City’s Market Street Grill, which reminded me to re-share the recipe with some updated photos for you. So, without further adieu, here is a re-post of the best clam chowder recipe, in my opinion, EVER.

“Hey, Chowda-head!”

It was a greeting that one of my fellow waiters at my post-college/pre-real-life-seafood-restaurant-job has been teased about for lo’ these many years. And he has NEVER been happy about hearing it again, and again, and again.

See, that job at Salt Lake City’s Market Street Grill was all about presentation and customer service. That meant every dish, every cup and even every spoon was served by the waiter from a tray.

So when you had a 6-top—that’s waiter-speak for a table of six—who all ordered the house specialty, famous clam chowder, we would load up a HUGE tray, hoist it high over our heads with the straightest arm we could possible muster, and charge forth through the sea of waiting to be seated customers to serve our eagerly awaiting diners bowls of creamy, white chowder in heavy china bowls with plated liners.

One especially busy night—it must have been a big rush before a Utah Jazz basketball game—my friend had a big table and of course they all ordered chowder. He loaded up the tray, even stacking the bowls two high!

It was a feat to behold for mere waiter mortals.continue to the recipe… about Market Street Clam Chowder Recipe

The Best Steak Fajitas With Simply Scratch

A homemade spice blend and killer marinade infuses flavor into thin cut steak for this fast and easy homemade Mexican meal made in the skillet.

Laurie McNamara’s blog Simply Scratch reminds us that no matter how busy life gets, sometimes we just need to slow down and take the time to cook a proper meal, like these onion and sweet bell pepper topped Steak Fajitas.

One with real, honest, unadulterated ingredients your grandma would recognize. There’s simply nothing like a true homemade meal. Especially one void of preservatives and artificial ingredients yet simple enough to entice all levels of home cooks.

For a few years now, we’ve been turning to Laurie’s blog, Simply Scratch, for solace in the kitchen. Her photography is beautiful and her food styling is seemingly effortless. Her recipes are nourishing and familiar without being too time-consuming or elaborate. She even has several recipes for those with diet allergies and restrictions to appease us all.

Needless to say, when we found out she was publishing her first book, Simply Scratch: 120 Wholesome Homemade Recipes Made Easy we were thrilled, because this girl knows how to cook.

Her Skirt Steak Fajitas recipe at the bottom of this post was one of the first to catch our eye. And here’s why…

continue to the recipe… about The Best Steak Fajitas With Simply Scratch

German Potato Salad

Hot red potatoes dressed in a warm bacon, mustard and vinegar dressing are what make this traditional mayo-less potato salad a family favorite.

I can taste the pucker now.

It’s the telltale sign of the ultimate German potato salad. That vinegar punch mixed with spunky, grainy mustard in a bacon studded dressing. The unexpected zing that makes me wonder who could possibly pass up a mayo-less ‘tater salad?

Not this German girl.

Although when I just asked Smudge her opinion on which photo to use as the main for this post, she said, “That’s potato salad? I didn’t know it was potato salad when we have it. I always thought it was just hot cooked potatoes.”

I suppose potato salad served warm in a fry pan threw her for a BBQ-side-dish-loop. Surprise is good for her. And for all of us when it comes to giving traditional dishes a try.

Leave it to the Germans who originated Christmas, Legos, Nutella and the VW bug to hand down yet another classic.

continue to the recipe… about German Potato Salad

Pico de Gallo Recipe Plus 15 More Salsas That Are Dip-alicious

Fresh plum tomatoes, onion, jalapeño and a squeeze of lime make for a fast and easy dip for chips, or a topper for any Mexican food favorite.

“Hi there, Heidi! I’m on the hunt for a yummy salsa to celebrate Cinco De Mayo with. Any recipe recommendations you could share with me? :)” ~Cynthia P.

I was actually debating whether to roll out this salsa fresca recipe on Cinco de Mayo or save it for summer break. I’ve been on Cinco de Taco olé overload these past few weeks and figured you have too. But after I received this request, I realized my spiced up work is not done.

How can I deny readers when they make a request?

And so, I’m not giving you just one recipe, but this plus 15 more links to get your dipping party started in mere minutes after chopping.

continue to the recipe… about Pico de Gallo Recipe Plus 15 More Salsas That Are Dip-alicious

Winter Green Salad with Orange Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

This fresh and healthy winter salad recipe with spinach, romaine, mushrooms, apple, and almonds features the best citrusy honey mustard dressing.

‘Tis the season to embrace balance.

It’s the time to do the dance and fancy footwork when toeing the line between giving into each and every one of your holiday mouth cravings (hello to Mom’s homemade fudge) and listening to your head—and often times your bloated belly—and take a side step to the lighter side of everything bright, fresh and joyful that winter’s produce forks over.

Literally.

It bears repeating that salads should never, ever be bastioned to only spring and summer eats. Let the cucumbers and tomatoes wait for their day in the sun because winter is the time to really play with our produce.

This salad is one of my everyday favorites. In fact, it was one of my normal weekday lunches that after I put it together made me thing, “Geez, that’s a great salad. I should make that for the blog sometime.”

Duh.

Why I think that the way I eat on a simple, everyday level isn’t blog worthy astounds me sometimes. Because good food doesn’t have to be fancy, or ironic or always Pinterest perfect. Nope, not at your house or here at mine, either.

continue to the recipe… about Winter Green Salad with Orange Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

The Best Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

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.

5 from 3 votes

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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How to Make Hatch Chile Salsa Verde

Right now. It’s happening. And there’s no better time to take advantage of it—of every single, last, bit(e).

There’s truly no better—and easier—time of year to eat seasonal. Fresh fruit is literally falling from the trees and the bounty of the summer harvest is at full throttle, artfully displayed in droves at farmer’s markets in small towns and big cities alike. Even grocery store produce tastes fresher and looks better. It’s here for one and all to savor.

continue to the recipe… about How to Make Hatch Chile Salsa Verde

Easy Tomato Pasta Sauce Recipe

If you’re like me, cooking is simply part of life’s continuing education. Just when I think, “I’ve got this down pat,” or “There’s no possible way this could taste any better,” I get schooled once again.

Take for example the basic, elemental pasta sauce. The one that is so simple it works as the foundation for so many tomato-based recipes where other ingredients do the glitzy red-carpet-look-at-me-I’m-the-star work and the tomato sauce simply shines in the background.

I thought I knew this recipe just by intuition and from following recipes handed down to me from family or ones I’d learned from my hoarder’s collection of magazines.

But I have just discovered, I was doing it all wrong.

continue to the recipe… about Easy Tomato Pasta Sauce Recipe

Grilled Vegetable Sandwich with Herbed Ricotta

It’s mid-summer and I am soaking it in. Even my numbed-by-pain-killers-broken-wrist can’t dull the memories in my post-week-at-the-beach-where-did-the-humidity-go-summer-lovin-skin. It’s what summer’s all about and I have the tan to prove it.

With just 2 more weeks of July we’re narrowing down to the final 2 recipes for FoodieCrush Grilling Month. Break out the ticker tape because this week it’s a parade of a veggies on the grill.

So far this month we’ve sharpened our grilling skills with recipes for Grilled Pork Chops with Spicy Balsamic Grilled Peaches and headed to the sea for a bite of Grilled Swordfish with Smoked Paprika and Herbed Fruit Salsa. This week we’re circling back to dry land and the farmer’s market to take advantage of summer’s opulence.

Too often we get caught in our tried and true methods of steaming, baking and sautéeing when it comes to cooking veggies. But it’s summer, time to shake things up by biking rather than driving, wearing short shorts instead of maxi skirts and smiling extra sweetly at the cute barrista who always gets your name right…just because you know you can.

And when it comes to cooking, it’s time to break out of the expected because it’s summer and the grill is where the flavor. is. at.

continue to the recipe… about Grilled Vegetable Sandwich with Herbed Ricotta

The Best BBQ Baked Beans and 5 More Baked Beans to Love

Just the thought of this recipe for BBQ Baked Beans makes the top of my mouth hurt. Because willpower and baking beans simply do not mix.

This is my mom’s baked beans recipe and with it comes a flood of summer memories. Of coming home after a full, hot day swimming, swimming, swimming and diving and flipping and flirting at the pool. Then finally home to the coolness of the air conditioned house where my mom often had these babies on the stove, percolating their way towards dinner.

It took just one step through the door and me and my swimsuit soaked shorts were making a beeline for the stove. There was always a wooden spoon sitting to the side, laced with the dried sauce from my mom’s stirring of the baked beans. One lick and that set off the need for more.

continue to the recipe… about The Best BBQ Baked Beans and 5 More Baked Beans to Love

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Being deemed The Beeroness—which in drink-speak is similar to bearing the title of Princess, Duchess or Queen—has plenty of responsibilities that come along with the nobility. Luckily for us commoners in the ways of ale, stouts and malt liquor, we have food blogger and author Jackie Dodd to lead us down a beer-inspired foodie path. And with recipes like her Porter Caramelized Onion Dip, you’ll be bowing down in no time.

With just two years of blogging under her belt, the lovely Jackie Dodd has made an indelible impact of bringing beer to the culinary forefront through her popular food blog, The Beeroness, where she shares recipes that infuse craft brews of hops and barley into everyday foods.

Sporting the tagline “Have your beer and eat it too,” Jackie focuses on craft beers as the flavor enhancers to recipes sweet and savory and everything in between on her blog and has newly released The Craft Beer Cookbook, 100 Artisanal Recipes for Cooking With Beer.

Jackie’s ambitions as a food blogger didn’t start in the kitchen, but rather with her drive and determination to realize her desires to be a part of the craft beer world.

“I really wanted to be a part of the craft beer community but I didn’t brew,” says Jackie. “So I started to write recipes for the beers I loved, started to take photos of them and it caught on.”

But creating a food blog wasn’t familiar territory for this beer connoisseur.continue to the recipe… about Porter Caramelized Onion Dip and Crushing on The Beeroness

Indian Butter Chicken and Friday Faves

There is a glaring omission in the recipe repertoire of FoodieCrush which I am in the process of remedying as we speak. Chicken. Simple, easy and basic chicken.

While this recipe for Indian Butter Chicken tastes far from basic, it’s one I really can’t forget to share and is so simple to bring together it works great as a weeknight meal. Even the picky kids will love it’s creamy, tomato flavor. Well, minus those pesky peas of course.

I’m such a fan of chicken thighs. I know, everyone boasts about the virtues of boneless chicken breast but where’s the flavor? It’s all in the thighs people.

continue to the recipe… about Indian Butter Chicken and Friday Faves

Sausage and Marsala Pappardelle Pasta

We all have our favorite recipes. And we all have vices. This recipe combines the best (best?) of both of them in my little world.

I’ve been sitting on this recipe ever since I started blogging. It’s one of those recipes I make it at least once a month, a favorite staple in our house and one I break out when company shows up unexpectantly because I always have the ingredients on hand.

But because it’s such a favorite for dinner, it’s usually dark by the time I’m done cooking and we’re hungry and there’s no light to take a pretty picture or any pasta left anyway. Oh, the life of a food blogger, balancing hunger pains of the family for you my lovely readers.continue to the recipe… about Sausage and Marsala Pappardelle Pasta

Mexican Turkey Meatball Sandwiches with Avocado Smash and Game Day Sweepstakes

Enter Avocado from Mexico’s Game Day Sweepstakes via FoodieCrush here. See what you might win and details at the bottom of this post.

I’m just saying it now. So get out your cute little Moleskins, grab a pen and take heed.

2013 is the year of the meatball.

No matter it’s nationality—Italian, Swedish, Vietnamese, Greek, every country has it’s version of meatballs—the meatball is a ubiquitous culinary staple that is the figurehead of basic, down-to-earth, comfort food. In. My. Mouth.

The meatball has even made its way into popular culture, including as the title of one of my all-time favorite movies now being made into a T.V. series by none other than the creator of Friday Night Lights (I’m so ready to discover who will become my new Riggins, IF, and that’s a big IF, he can be replaced.) Are you ready for the summer? Are you ready for the good times? Ah, yes, about now I certainly am.continue to the recipe… about Mexican Turkey Meatball Sandwiches with Avocado Smash and Game Day Sweepstakes

Friday Faves and a Pepperoni Italian Egg Skillet

It’s the last weekend before the final gorge, aka Thanksgiving.

But before you sweat it out over the pumpkin pie with distant cousin Miranda who doesn’t hesitant to tell you allllll about her kids amazing experience at the gifted children’s private school where they’re getting straight A’s or listen to Uncle Barry’s wife #4 who he met on his most recent trip to Baja, we must eat breakfast. Something that’s hearty enough to nourish us early in the a.m. and carry us past noon or until the big bird sings and more “interesting” relatives show up.continue to the recipe… about Friday Faves and a Pepperoni Italian Egg Skillet

Avocado Cream and Chicken Suiza Enchiladas Recipe

Yesterday I sat on the deck at lunchtime and it hit me. Fall has arrived.

It’s only a few days past Labor Day and while I’m fondly reminiscing about Smudge and her summer hijinks, I am beyond thrilled to bid it adieu. Hello to cooler nighttime temps forcing the changing colors of the mountain leaves, sleeping at night without the hum of the swamp cooler and basking in the warm sunshine at lunchtime without melting into a puddle of goo.

Oh and then there’s the introduction of comfort food. Oh baby, bring it.continue to the recipe… about Avocado Cream and Chicken Suiza Enchiladas Recipe

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Ingredients

Instructions

How to Make Chicken Noodle Soup from Scratch

What You Can Put in Chicken Noodle Soup

Spices to Add to Chicken Noodle Soup

Shortcut to Semi-Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients

Instructions

More Ideas for Chicken Noodle Soup

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