Old-Fashioned Chicken Noodle Soup

Alas, it is finally feeling like winter here in the 'ol Midwest. We got around 6 inches this week after having temperatures in the 50s! So with snow on the ground and a chill in the air, I got out my new cookbook (ATK's Slow Cooker Revolution) and set about making a homey chicken noodle soup. I've mentioned before how much I love the cookbooks from America's Test Kitchen and this one is chalked full of great recipes I can't wait to make. This soup was absolutely delicious! Serve it with some rustic bread or rolls for dipping and you've got enough for lunch the next day.

Old-Fashioned Chicken Noodle Soup - Serves 6-8

Have it:
1 1/2 lbs. bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, trimmed (I used 6 thighs from Whole Foods)
Salt & pepper
1 tbl. vegetable oil
3 carrots, peeled and chopped medium
2 celery ribs, chopped medium
1 onion, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbl. tomato paste
2 tsp. minced fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp. dried
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
8 c. low-sodium chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1 (12 oz.) bone-in, skin-on split chicken breast, trimmed
1 1/2 oz. (about 1 c.) wide egg noodles (I upped it to 2 1/2 cups, I love noods!)
1/2 c. frozen peas
2 tbl. minced fr. parsley



Do it:
1. Dry chicken thighs with paper towels and season with s&p. Heat oil in 12-in. skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown chicken thighs well on both sides, 6-8 minutes.


Transfer to plate, let cool slightly, and discard skin.

2. Pour off all but 1 tbl. fat left in pan. Add carrots, celery & onion and cook over medium heat until vegetables are softened, 7-10 minutes. Stir in garlic, tomato paste, thyme and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.


Stir in 1 c. chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits; transfer to slow cooker.

3. Stir remaining 7 c. broth and bay leaves into slow cooker. Nestle browned chicken with any accumulated juice into slow cooker. Season chicken breast with s&p, wrap in foil packet and lay on top of soup.


Cover and cook until chicken is tender, 4-6 hours on low. (I cooked my soup on low for 5 hours and it turned out great).

4. Remove foil packet, open carefully (watch for steam and juices), and transfer chicken breast to cutting board. Transfer chicken thighs to cutting board. Let all chicken cool slightly, then shred into bite size pieces with 2 forks (or use your fingers which I find to be helpful), discarding skin and bones.


Let soup settle for 5 minutes, then remove fat from surface using large spoon. Discard bay leaves.

5. Cook egg noodles (I use the No Yolk noodles) in boiling salted water until tender, then drain. Sitr cooked noodles, shredded chicken, and peas into soup and let sit until heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in parsley, season with s&p to taste, and serve.


(I served ours in the adorable Crate & Barrel soup & sandwich set that we got for Christmas - thanks Mom!)

Anything cooked in the slow cooker is sure to warm your home with the delish scents and flavors melding together. Hubs commented on how great it smelled as soon as he opened the door! We were both huge fans of this yummy soup and have plenty of leftovers for dinner tomorrow night too. Soup is a great reheat-meal and the next time I make this one, I may freeze some too.

Source: America's Test Kitchen Slow Cooker Revolution

Chicken Shish Kabobs with Herbs and Garlic Potato Salad

I love summer time. Great weather, long days and sunshine. What better way to cap off a beautiful Chicago day than by throwing some nosh on the grill? I can't think of one and have been enjoying a variety of grilled delights over the last couple weeks. One of the easiest and tastiest? Shish Kabobs and the ultimate summer side dish - Tater Salad. Yum, yum, and more yum...

Marinated Chicken Shish Kabobs - Serves 4 (dependent on meat/veg quantities)

Have it:
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
1 orange or yellow bell pepper
12 white mushrooms
1 onion
Marinade (of your choice - I used a poultry seasoning I got from an Amish town in Indiana and some olive oil)
Bamboo Skewers

Do it:
1. Submerge 6 skewers in water and let soak at least 30 minutes.

2. Rinse and pat dry chicken breasts. Cut into 2 inch pieces and place in a medium bowl. Sprinkle or pour your desired marinade over chicken pieces and let marinate at least 30 minutes. I marinate 3-4 hours if time allows.

3. Cut peppers and onion into 2 inch pieces and set aside. Wipe mushrooms down with a damp towel. Do not wash as they will soak up the water and run the risk of becoming mushy.

4. Skewer peppers, onions, mushrooms and chicken onto the pre-soaked bamboo skewers.

5. Place on a hot grill for approx. 6 minutes, rotating halfway through cooking time.

Herbs and Garlic Potato Salad - Serves 6

Have it:

2 lbs. Yukon Gold Potatoes

1 teas. fresh garlic (1 lg. clove)

1/4 c. chopped fresh Italian parsley

2 tbl. chopped chives

1/2 c. chopped onion

1 c. mayo (I used Hellmann's Light)

1 tbl. Dijon mustard

1/2 c. chopped celery (1 lg. stalk)

1/2 teas. salt

1/2 teas. freshley ground black pepper

1 teas. dried thyme

Do it:

1. Place the potatoes (whole) in a large pot, add enough water to cover the taters, cover the pot with a lid and bring to a boil. Cook until the potatoes are pierced easily with the tip of a sharp knife, 15-20 min. Drain and let cool until you can handle them but they are still warm. Peel and cut into approc. 1-inch cubes.

2. While the taters are soaking in their hot tub, in a large bowl stir the garlic, parsley, chives, onion, mayo, Dijon mustard, celery, salt and black pepper. Crush the thyme lightly with your fingers and stir in.

3. Add the cut potatoes to the mayo mix and toss until coated. Cover and refrigerate for several hours to overnight.

Source: Potato Salad, 65 Recipes from Classic to Cool (a.k.a. my newest go-to for summer side dishes)

Set out a few candles and pour a nice cold glass of raspberry lemonade and you've got yourself one easy and delicious backyard (or for us city-dwellers, back patio) meal!

Chicken Marsala with Fettucine

Not your mama's marsala, this recipe adds cream and employs the use of your crock-pot. I'm already starting to drool remembering how delicious this one turned out. Rich sauce, juicy chicken breast and carb heavy pasta, ahhhhhhhhh. Alright, back to the important stuff, the how and what so you can make it too. I've included the full recipe for 4 servings but I reduced everything by half except for the liquid ingredients, which I reduced by a third, so it would be appropriate for two people without leftovers.

Chicken Marsala with Fettucine - serves 4

Have it:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tbl. vegetable oil

1 onion, chopped

1/2 c. Marsala wine (I used a wine found near the vinegar, you can find selections in the wine section as well)

2 pkg. (6 oz. ea.) sliced brown mushrooms (I used mini-portabellas)

1/2 c. chicken broth

2 teas. Worchestershire sauce

1/2 teas. salt

1/2 teas. fresh groun pepper

1/2 c. whipping cream

2 tbl. cornstarch

8 oz. cooked fettuccine

2 tbl. chopped fresh parsley

Do it:

1. Coat 4 1/2-quart Crock-Pot slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Transfer to Crock-Pot slow cooker.

2. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat until hot. Add onion. Cook and stir until translucent. Add Marsala and continue cooking 2-3 minutes or until mixture reduces slightly. Stir in mushrooms.

Add broth, Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 teas. salt and 1/2 teas. pepper. Pour mixture over chicken. Cover; cook on high 1 1/2 - 1 3/4 hours or until chicken is done. (I only cooked two pieces and checked at 1 hour, they were ready and tender at this point so I removed them.)

3. Transfer chicken to cutting board and let stand. Blend whipping cream and cornstarch until smooth. Stir into cooking liquid. Cover; cook 15 minutes longer or until mixture is thickened. Add salt and pepper, if desired. ( I cooked the noodles during this part and it worked out great!)

Honestly, this was one of the most delicous meals as of late. The chicken was unbelieveably tender and juicy. And even better, the Crock-Pot made this a great weeknight meal!

Source: Crock-Pot The Original Slow Cooker Recipe Collection