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

Barbecued Pulled Pork

There are some recipes that require a trip to the grocery store and then a second trip to a specialty store and substitutions because really, that spice is impossible to find. Then the shopping excursions are followed by prep work and cooking time. Whew! By the time all that work is done, you're almost too tuckered out to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Thankfully, there are great recipes that make great meals that can be made with enough time to grab a glass of wine after loading the dishwasher. This bbq pulled pork recipe is an easy Crock-Pot weeknight or Sunday game day meal for a crowd. The crucial part is allowing enough cooking time and picking a barbeque sauce you really love.

Barbecued Pulled Pork Sandwiches - Serves 8-10

Have it:

1 pork shoulder roast (about 2 1/2 lbs.) *smaller roasts will require a shorter cooking time

1 14 oz. your favorite barbecue sauce (my favorite is from a neighborhood spot, The Smoke Daddy)

1 tbl. fresh or bottled lemon juice

1 teas. brown sugar

1 medium onion, chopped

8 hamburger buns or hard rolls

Do it:
1. Place roast in 4 1/2 quart Crock-Pot slow cooker. (My pot is bigger but as long as the roast is 2 1/2 - 3 lbs. its ok). Cover; cook on Low 10-12 hours or on High 5-6 hours.

2. Remove roast from Crock-Pot slow cooker; discard cooking liquid. Shred pork with 2 forks (this is my favorite part, its so tender!).

3. Return pork to Crock-Pot slow cooker. Add barbecue sauce, lemon juice, brown sugar and onion. Cover; cook on Low 2 hours or High 1 hour. Serve shredded pork on hamburger buns or hard rolls.

Source: Crock-Pot The Original Slow Cooker Recipe Collection

Easy Roasted Potatoes - Makes 2 servings, easily doubled or tripled.

Have it:

3 medium/large red potatoes, skin on
Onion powder

Paprika

Oregano

Pepper

Salt

Garlic Powder

Thyme

1/4 cup olive oil

Do it:

1. Clean potatoes. Cut into quarters or eighths. (The smaller the size the faster they will cook.) Place into a bowl and microwave for 4-5 minutes to soften.

2. Eyeball the spices, about a 1/2 teas. of each and mix in the olive oil. Toss the potatoes in the oil and place on a baking sheet. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 20-30 minutes or until cooked through.

Enjoy! Hearty, homecooked barbecue that's easy to make. Who knew?!