Yummy Chicken Noodle Soup

With cold and flu season in full swing, and winter storm Ion blowing across the US, my favorite way to warm up from the inside out is Chicken Noodle Soup. I mean, who doesn't love a big ol' hot bowl of herb infused chicken stock packed with juicy chicken and tons of veggies?

This recipe is very healthy and has little preservatives, with the exception being the Ramen Noodles themselves (I do not use the flavor package). Speaking of noodles:

I've tried every noodle known to man when it comes to making Chicken Noodle Soup. My favorite, and the one I use exclusively now is Ramen Noodles. The Ramen Noodles just hold up well and are a good size. Egg noodles get soggy and doughy, spaghetti noodles are too slippery and get a little gummy. Ramen Noodles stay firm, consistent, and are the perfect thickness, the package is the perfect amount and they only take about 5 min to be fully hydrated.

This recipe is very customizable. Try rice instead of noodles, if you like the doughy noodle use egg noodles, you can add whatever herbs you want as well. I prefer to use the "Chicken Herb" mix that is Rosemary, Sage, and Thyme but I've used Oregano and other herbs as well, all are great.

Yummy Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

2 Boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 carrots, medium dice

3 celery stocks, medium dice

1/2 onion, medium dice

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme to taste, chopped

8 cups chicken stock or broth

1 bay leaf

2 1/2 oz (one package) Ramen Noodles with flavor packet removed 

2 tablespoons italian parsley, coarsely chopped

Directions: 

In a dutch oven or large pot, add olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Generously season chicken breasts with salt and pepper, add to oil. Cook until browned on each side, does not have to be done all the way threw, you'll cook it more. Remove chicken, set aside on plate. 

Reduce heat to medium and add carrot, celery, onion, and measured salt and pepper. Cook, string occasionally to scrape the bottom of the pan until just starting to brown and are soft, about 5 minutes. 

Add the stock to pan, along with the chicken and any juice on the plate, herbs and bay leaf. Increase heat to medium high, allow to come to a boil then turn down to medium low, simmer until chicken is done, about 20 minutes. 

Remove pot from heat. Take chicken from pot and place on a cutting board. With two forks, shred chicken, place back into soup. 

Break noodle block into large pieces and place into hot soup, cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Remove bay leaf, add parsley, and more salt and pepper to taste. 

*I love to use Kirkland Brand Organic Chicken Stock.

I hope you stay well this cold and flu season! Enjoy!

                  

Homemade Marinara Sauce

Homemade Marinara Sauce

For many years I bought marinara sauce in the jar. I think I've tried every one on the market; Ragu, Prego, Barilla, Classico. I never felt satisfied with the taste of any of these sauces but, I tolerated them because I thought that I could not make homemade sauce on my own. I figured it was too hard, and too long of a process. I assumed you had to buy tons of fresh tomatoes, process them, roast them, then cook them all day long to have a tasty sauce. Boy, was I wrong! I realized that I could combine canned tomatoes, with herbs and have a far superior flavor than any store bought jar of sauce. 

This recipe is super easy, requires few ingredients, and takes less than an hour to make! Yes, it tastes better the next day, but it is still divine after just 45 min of simmering. No peeling tomatoes, no slaving over a hot stove with a tomato stained apron for 10 hours, just a simple, fresh sauce with no preservatives! 

You can buy canned tomatoes, preferably San Marzano ones, that are very good quality. San Marzano tomatoes are similar to Roma tomatoes, but with a slightly stronger, less acidic flavor. They are the best to use to make homemade tomato sauce. The canned tomatoes are typically high quality, and taste perfect. The addition of balsamic makes this sauce take on a dark hue and gives the sauce a rich flavor. If you don't have balsamic, use red wine. 

Homemade Marinara Sauce 

Yield: About 6 cups

Adapted from RecipeGirl

Ingredients: 

1 tablespoon olive oil

8 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

5 fresh basil leaves, julienned then roughly chopped

Two 28oz cans crushed San Marzano tomatoes with their juices

2 teaspoons of kosher salt

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper (optional)

Directions: 

In a large saucepan warm olive oil on low heat, add garlic and cook until slightly browned. Add the basil, cook until wilted slightly. 

Pour tomatoes in, raise the heat to medium, once it bubbles, lower to simmer, add salt and crushed red pepper.

Simmer for about 45 minutes, add balsamic and simmer another 5 minutes. 

*I simmered the sauce uncovered which makes it nice and thick, if you like it looser place a lid on the pan to keep in moisture. 

*To add onion, bell pepper, and/or ground beef to sauce; brown veggies in olive oil, add ground beef or ground turkey, brown, then add the garlic and follow directions after that step. 

*Serve with meatballs, over pasta or spread across pizza dough. 

*I have a killer meatball recipe I will share later, but the combo of this sauce, my meatballs, and french bread makes a mean meatball sandwich! 

*This sauce will store in the refrigerator for several weeks or freeze for several months! Make ahead and use as needed. You will NEVER buy bottled sauce again, I promise.