Chicken Noodle Soup

Serves 6 to 8

2 tablespoons of chicken fat (reserved from making stock) or vegetable oil
1 medium onion, cut into medium dice
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 celery rib, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 recipe Chicken Stock (note: and the left over meat)
2 cups (3 ounces) wide egg noodles
1/4 cup minced parsley leaves
Ground black pepper

1. Heat the chicken fat in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery; saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the thyme, along with the stock and shredded chicken meat (note: don't forget to do this unless you did it when you finished making the stock); simmer until the vegetables are tender and flavors meld, 10 to 15 minutes.



2. Add the noodles and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the parsley and pepper to taste, adjust the seasonings, and serve.

When I first read this recipe, I didn't realize it took the entire recipe of chicken stock from the previous post. Good thing I just stuck it in the fridge and didn't get it bagged and put in the freezer.

Once the stock is made, this is a quick 20-30 minute recipe. Perfect for a weeknight dinner.

Starting with the basics.

It's fitting that the first soup recipe was a basic chicken stock. Tomorrow the stock will be turned into Chicken Noodle Soup.
Chicken Stock
makes about 2 quarts
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, cut into medium dice
4 pounds of chicken backs and wingtips or whole legs hacked with a meat cleaver into 2-inch pieces
2 quarts boiling water
2 teaspoons salt
2 bay leaves

1. Heat the oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven. Add the ionin, saute until colored and softened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the onions to a large bowl.



2. Add half of the chicken pieces to the pot; saute until no longer pink, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the cooked chickent to the bowl with the onion. Saute the remaining chicken pieces. Return the onion and chicken pieces to the pot. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the chicken releases its juices, about 20 minutes.



3. Increase the heat to high; add the boiling water, salt, and bay leaves. Return to a simmer, then cover and barely simmer until the stock is rich and flavorful, about 20 minutes.



4. Stain the stock into a container and discard the solids. Skim the fat and reserve for later use in soups or other recipes, if desired. (The stock can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for several months.)

Information Overload

Ever feel like there's just too much information out there and not enough time to read or absorb everything. Well, Zach and I were kind of feeling that way with our cookbooks, cooking magazines and all the online cooking resources. We felt that perhaps we were missing great recipes in our cookbooks or vice versa depending on what we decided to cook. Thus, our latest endeavor was born - to work our way through a cookbook. One caveat is that we don't plan to cook from one source, but will make a conscious effort to get through the first cookbook.

We decided to start basic. We are working through The New Best Recipe from the editors of Cooks Illustrated. In the interest of having meals, we are starting with soups, plan to pair those with salads and then alternate those with the entrees paired with the vegetable recipes. We figure along the way we'll pick up the rest of the recipes, like appetizers and desserts.

If it was you, what cookbook or source would you choose to cook your way through? Perhaps next up for us is the new African cookbook I received for Christmas.

So, check back often and we'll post our progress and the recipes.

A Thanksgiving Favorite

Vegan Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients:

• 1 can French cut green beans
• 1 1/2 canisters vegan French fried onions
• 1 1/2 cups soymilk
• 1 cube veggie bouillon
• 2-3 Tbs corn starch mixed with 2-3 tablespoon cold water
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 3/4 cup chopped mushrooms (button, crimini, or portabella)
• 1-2 Tbs vegetable oil
• 1/2 tsp each of garlic, salt, pepper, basil, oregano, sage, marjoram, thyme, and any other herbs to taste

Directions:

Heat soy milk and veggie bouillon in a saucepan, stirring until bouillon cube disintegrates. Do not boil or scald the soy milk. Just heat it.

Sauté onions, carrots, and mushrooms in the veggie oil in a skillet. Add salt, pepper, and herbs and spices.

Mix the starch and water well, and pour into the soymilk/bouillon. Stir well, because this will coagulate pretty quickly. Quickly add the can of green beans, the sautéed veggies, and about half of your French fried onions, and stir well.

Pour that mixture into a casserole dish or pan and top with remaining French fried onions. Bake in oven at about 350° for 10-15 minutes, until the onions begin to brown. Remove from oven.

From: mercyforanimals.org

Vegan Pumpkin Risotto Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 onion. diced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cups arborio (risotto) rice
• 1 cup white wine
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated or minced
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
• 1 tbsp margarine
• salt and pepper to taste

PREPARATION:

Sautee the onion in olive oil over medium heat for three to five minutes, or until soft. Add the rice. Allow to cook, stirring, for a minute or two. Slowly add the wine.

Start to add the vegetable broth, 1/2 cup at a time.

Allow the moisture to cook off before adding the next 1/2 cup. Stir frequently.

Add remaining ingredients, stirring well, and cook for just a few minutes, until heated through.

From vegetarian.about.com

Tasty Fall Soup Recipe

Butternut Squash and Pear Soup

This comes from "The New Vegetarian Epicure" by Anna Thomas

Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

1 pound butternut squash (or acorn squash), (about 10 ounces trimmed and seeded)
1 large yam
2 cups vegetable broth
1 1 2 cups water (should read "one and one-half cups water")
1 stick cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
2 medium onions, sliced
3 large Anjou or Bartlett pears
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup half and half
white pepper to taste
chives or cilantro (optional)

Directions:

Peel, seed, and dice the squash. Peel and dice the yam. Put them both in a pot with the vegetable broth, water, cinnamon stick, and salt, and simmer until tender, about 40 minutes. Discard cinnamon stick.

Melt the butter and gently cook the onions in it, stirring occasionally, until it begins to carmelize. Peel, core, and thinly slice the pears, and add them to the onions. Continue cooking for about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the wine, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the pear mixture to the soup, and puree everything in a blender in batches. Add the cream and some white pepper. Heat the soup again just to a simmer, but do not boil. Serve plain, or garnished with chopped chives or sprigs of cilantro.

(Thanks! Charlee)

File under: tasty

Random thought for a theme - wine & cheese. All dishes have to have wine or cheese as a component (or wine & cheese as a component?).