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

Italian Feast with Caprese Salad and Italian Sausage Soup

Let me start off by saying YUM! This one is a winner. I know this by my own tastebuds reaction but also confirmed by hubs going back for seconds and requesting I make it again before he was even done! The caprese salad is easy and fresh and the soup is great for flavor and substance. And it's an easy meal to make with the help of the handy-dandy Crock-Pot. Oh, and bread is a must for dipping!

Caprese Salad - Serves 4

Have it:
1 ripe beefsteak tomato (make sure its a good one)
4 fresh basil leaves
fresh mozzarella, sliced or buy it pre-sliced
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
salt & pepper

Do it:
1. Slice the tomatoes and mozzarella. Layer the basil leaves, tomato and mozzarella.

2. Season with salt & pepper. Mix 1 tbl. balsamic vinegar with 1 tbl. olive oil. Drizzle over the salad. Serve.

Italian Sausage Soup - Serves 4-6

Have it:
Sausage Meatballs
1 lb. Italian sausage, casings removed (I used hot sausage which added a lot of flavor)
1/2 c. dried bread crumbs
1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese
1/4 c. milk
1 egg
1/2 teas. dried basil
1/2 teas. black pepper
1/4 teas. garlic salt

Soup
4 c. hot chicken broth (I used Pacific Foods organic low-sodium broth and heated in the microwave)
1 tbl. tomato paste
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teas. red pepper flakes
1/2 c. mini pasta shells (you can use any tiny pasta)
1 10 oz. bag baby spinach leaves grated parmesan cheese

Do it:
1. Combine meatball ingredients. Form into marble size balls.

2. Combine broth, tomato paste, garlic and red pepper flakes in 4 1/2 quart Crock-Pot slow cooker. Add meatballs. Cover; cook on low 5 to 6 hours. So easy!

3. Thirty minutes before serving, add pasta. When pasta is tender, stir in spinach leaves. Ladle into bowls, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

I love the spinach in this dish. Adding it right before serving allows it to wilt without being soggy. With there only being the two of us, we were able to have this a second day and it tasted great heated up.

Source: Crock-Pot The Original Slow Cooker Recipe Collection