Chicken Noodle Soup

CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

Ralphie

 

The real deal, from scratch. It is A-MAZING.

 

1 rotisserie chicken

4 eggs

2 tsp. salt

2-3 C. flour (maybe more)

1 can cream of chicken soup

2-3 Tbsp. whipping cream (optional, but recommended)

Some chopped celery, carrots, and onions---as much or as little as you like

Salt and pepper to taste

 

1.      Remove as much of the chicken from the rotisserie chicken as possible, shredded into bite-sized pieces. Set aside, or refrigerate. Keep chicken remains.

2.      Put whatever remains of the rotisserie chicken (bones, skin, everything) in a pot of boiling water, high enough to cover the chicken. Boil for around 30 minutes. Strain chicken to remove bones, and reserve the leftover broth. Leave broth on stove at a low boil.

3.      In a medium bowl, mix the eggs with a fork. Add the 2 tsp. salt and stir. Add 2 C. flour. Knead until it isn’t sticky anymore, using more flour as necessary (~5-7 minutes). Dust counter with plenty of flour, and using lots of flour, roll dough out very thin (1/8-1/4 inch or so), then slice thin noodle strings with a pizza cutter (or use a pasta crank if you have one). The noodles will expand quite a bit in the soup.

4.      One at a time, add the noodles to the simmering broth (if added in clumps, they will stick together.

5.      Add can of cream of chicken soup.

6.      Add some water until it looks like the right amount, anywhere from 4-8 cups of water probably. Then add chicken bouillon and/or salt until it’s the flavor you want. If using whipped cream, add it here, just enough to make your soup look a touch creamy. Let it simmer until the noodles are done, maybe about 20 minutes. It won’t matter much if it is on the stove longer.

7.      About 10 minutes before service, add chopped celery and onion. About 5 minutes before service, add chopped carrots and the chicken from step 1.

8.      Add salt and pepper to your liking.

Granola Bars

GRANOLA BARS

Ralphie

 
 

 

3 cups quick cooking oats (I did 2 cups oats and 1 ½ cup rice crispies)

1 cup coconut

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

½ cup sweetened dried cranberries (I didn’t do any dried fruit this time and I like it better – gets in the way of the chocolate, but that’s just me)

½ cup flax seed

1 cup sliced almonds (no nuts either, because B doesn’t like them

1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

2 TBSP. Melted butter

1 tsp cinnamon (cinnamon has a lot of health advantages)

½ tsp nutmeg (I thought that this made it sooo yummy!)

 

In a large bowl, mix the oats, coconut, almonds, chocolate chips and cranberries. Add the sweetened condensed milk and butter and mix well with your hands until well blended. Press the mixture flat into a greased 9x13 pan. Make sure that you tap it down really well so that it doesn’t crumble. Bake @ 350º for 20-25 minutes, depending on how crunchy you want them. Lightly browned around the edges will give you moist, chewy bars. Let cool for 5 minutes then cut into bars (I can get 22 bars from a pan). Let them cool completely before serving, otherwise they will fall apart.

***Georgia’s Note: I like MORE dried cranberries than chocolate, so I usually decrease the amount of chocolate and increase the fruit. I also have never put the butter in, I forgot the first time, and they tasted just fine. I also have never added nutmeg.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Milkshake

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER BANANA MILKSHAKE

Ralphie

 

Prep time: 5 mins

Serves:1-2

 

Made of frozen bananas, natural peanut butter, cocoa and a splash of pure maple syrup, this rich, creamy treat is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth, without the sluggish after-effects of a traditional milkshake.

 

Ingredients

·         2 frozen bananas

·         ½ cup almond milk (homemade or store-bought)

·         1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup (optional)

·         2 Tablespoons cocoa powder

·         ¼ cup natural peanut butter

·         Pinch of sea salt

·         1 teaspoon vanilla extract

·         7 ice cubes (about 2 handfuls)

 

Instructions

1.      Throw all of the ingredients into a high-powered blender, and blend until smooth and creamy. (I like to freeze my bananas whole, for easy measuring, then I break them in half when adding them to the blender.

2.      Pour into two glasses and serve immediately!

 

Notes

 

For best results, use a high-speed blender like the Vitamix, which breaks down ice effortlessly. A tradition blender should also work—though, you may need to add a bit more almond milk to facilitate blending.

Hummus

HUMMUS

Ralphie

Yield: About 3 cups

Servings: 12 to 14

Ingredients:

4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups canned chickpeas, drained, liquid reserved
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/3 cup tahini (sesame paste)
6 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
2 Tablespoons water or reserved liquid from the chickpeas
8 dashes hot sauce (more or less, as desired)
good olive oil

Directions:

Place all of the ingredients into a food processor and process until the hummus is coarsely pureed. Taste, for seasoning, and serve chilled or at room temperature. Drizzle a little bit of olive oil on top before serving. Serve with veggies or crackers.

Tips:
*Use the reserved chickpeas liquid to thin out the hummus until you reach desired consistency.
*Reader Tip: Sprinkle cumin on top of the olive oil.

Bean Tostadas with Avocado Salad

BEAN TOSTADAS WITH AVOCADO SALAD

Ralphie

 

Ingredients

·         Tostadas

·         3 to 4 corn tortillas

·         ½ tablespoon olive oil

·         1 cup cooked black beans

·         ¼ cup bean liquid or water

·         1/2 cup salsa

 

·         Salad

·         2 cups lightly packed shredded lettuce

·         1 avocado, cubed

·         1 ounce cojita cheese, crumbled

·         1 tablespoon lime juice

·         1 tablespoon olive oil

·         2 teaspoons honey

·         ¼ teaspoon salt

·         ¼ teaspoon black pepper

·         Cilantro, lime wedges, to garnish

 

Instructions

1.      Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Brush tortillas with olive oil. Place on a baking tray; bake until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes.

2.      In a skillet, heat the black beans, liquid and salsa until boiling. Reduce heat to low; simmer, stirring occasionally, until the majority of juice has been absorbed, 5 to 6 minutes.

3.      For the salad, combine lettuce, cubed avocado and crumbled cheese in a bowl. Whisk together lime juice, olive oil, honey, salt and pepper. Pour over salad, then toss until coated.

4.      Top the tortillas with a layer of black beans, then salad. Serve with extra cheese or lime wedges as desired.

Baked Parmesan Zucchini

BAKED PARMESAN ZUCCHINI

Ralphie

 

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 Minutes

Yield 4 Servings

 

Crisp, tender zucchini sticks oven-roasted to absolute perfection. It's healthy, nutritious and completely addictive!

 

INGREDIENTS

·         4 zucchini, quartered lengthwise

·         ½ cup grated Parmesan

·         ½ teaspoon dried thyme

·         ½ teaspoon dried oregano

·         ½ teaspoon dried basil

·         ¼ teaspoon garlic powder

·         Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

·         2 tablespoon olive oil

·         2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

 

INSTRUCTIONS

·         Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a cooling rack with nonstick spray and place on a baking sheet; set aside.

·         In a small bowl, combine Parmesan, thyme, oregano, basil, garlic powder, salt and pepper, to taste.

·         Place zucchini onto prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with Parmesan mixture. Place into oven and bake until tender, about 15 minutes. Then broil for 2-3 minutes, or until they’re crisp and golden brown.

·         Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.