Not your average chicken noodle soup

Okay so I woke up feeling like an absolute mess this morning. Runny nose, scratchy throat, head full of fog...joyous. After skipping class and going back to bed for a few more hours I felt a little better. I decided that for dinner tonight, nothing would be better than my home made chicken soup. It's delicious, comforting, and the spices I use clear my sinuses like you wouldn't believe.

Jana's Chicken Noodle Soup

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, medium dice

1 medium onion, medium dice

3 celery stalks, diced

2 large carrots, diced

1 1/2 quarts chicken stock/broth (See my post on how to make your own if you want!)

1 1/2 cups dry pasta (whatever shape you want! I used shells tonight)

1 cup frozen peas

3/4 cup frozen corn kernels

3 tsp curry powder

2 tsp dried tarragon

1 tsp dried thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

1-2 TBS fresh chopped parsley

1. Bring liberally salted water to a boil in a medium sized pot. Add the pasta and stir occasionally, removing from the water and setting aside when still slightly underdone.

2. While the pasta is cooking, heat a small amount of olive oil in a large pot. Add the chicken and sear on all sides, not cooking all the way done. Remove from the pot and set aside.

3. Add the onions to the pot and cook until just beginning to turn translucent. Add the carrots and celery, sauteeing until slightly tender.

4. Add the chicken stock and spices and bring to a low boil.

5. Return the chicken to the pot and add the pasta, peas, and corn. Continue on a low boil until the chicken is cooked through and the pasta is al dente.

6. Serve garnished with fresh chopped parsely.

Enjoy!

The Stock Box OR How I Saved $4

I am about to share with you something that may change your life forever. Well, maybe not. But this little tidbit may help you out if you are trying to put good food on the table while working with a tight budget.

Allow me to introduce you to the stock box:

My stock box is just a tupperware container that lives in my freezer. When I'm making a salad or prepping vegetables, I pull it out and put my vegetable scraps in it. Onion ends, carrot ends, pieces of celery that aren't as crunchy as they used to be, parsley stems, red bell pepper pieces....no one is to poor to be included in my stock box (except potatoes. They make my finished product cloudy!)

I also save the scraps of the meats I process in my kitchen. For me this means the trimmings of a pork tenderloin, the carcass of a chicken I roasted for Sunday dinner, the bones leftover from my chicken drumsticks, you name it. I put those in a gallon size ziploc bag, label it and toss it in the freezer.

Now, when I notice that my stock box is full of vegetable scraps and I have a bag of bones accumulated in my freezer, I pull it out to thaw in the fridge. Once it's thawed, I put it the bones and the contents of my stock box in a large pot, cover it with water, and put it on the stove on low heat and I let it simmer for several hours.

After several hours of simmering on the stove, I strain the liquid into another tupperware container, and what I'm left with is a beautiful, flavorful broth.

Do you see what I just did there? I took something that most people just throw away and I turned it into something usable. Because I just saved my scraps, I don't ever have to go out and buy a can of Swanson broth when I want to make soup. I have homemade, delicious broth right in my fridge. You can freeze it too, if you'd like to save it for another time. But seriously people. I just saved myself about $4 by saving my garbage.

Here's what I'm making tonight for dinner with my delicious chicken broth.

Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana

1 lb Italian sausage

8 oz smoked bacon, diced

1 quart chicken broth (hey look at that! You don't have to buy it!)

2 large russet potatoes, scrubbed and cubed

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 medium onion, chopped (HEY! Save the ends for your stock box!)

2 cups chopped kale or Swiss chard

1 cup heavy cream

Salt and pepper

1. In a skillet over medium heat, brown the sausage, breaking into small pieces. Drain and set aside.

2. Fry the bacon until brown, drain and set aside.

3. Combine the broth, potatoes, garlic, and onion in a pot; simmer over medium heat until potatoes are tender, 10-15 minutes

4. Add the sausage; simmer for 10 minutes.

5. Add the kale and dream. Season with salt and pepper to taste and simmer until the soup is heated through. Do not allow to boil.

6. Add bacon just before service so it remains crispy.

*DISCLAIMER* In a restaurant setting, this is not, not, NOT the way you make stock. I fully understand that and I promise I am a lot more conscious of what is going into my stock pot when I am working. However, at home I find that this is a really great money saving tip that yields great results without a ton of extra work.

Cold Weather Food

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a desert girl through and through. I love the heat and I absolutely cannot stand humidity. Hot and dry, that's how I roll. So when the change of seasons rolls around I lament the onset of cold weather. Despite my dislike of the cold, I do love cold weather foods! I'm starting to bust out my arsenal of soups. Here's what I made for dinner tonight...

Orange Carrot Ginger Soup

8-10 large carrots, medium dice

1/2 onion, medium dice

1 1/2 quarts orange juice (no pulp is preferable)

2 TBS fresh grated ginger (may substitute 2 tsp dry ground)

Salt and pepper to taste

Olive oil

1. In a large pot, heat a few tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat. Add the carrots and onions and cook until carrots are slightly tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.

2. Add orange juice, and boil until carrots are soft.

3. Puree in a blender or food processor.

4. Add ginger, salt, and pepper, and return to stove to keep warm until service

*NOTE*

If you are using fresh ginger, it is important to add it as the last step in your cooking process. Ginger has a tendency to turn bitter as it cooks.

Enjoy everyone! Happy fall cooking!