Mom's Chicken Noodle Soup over Mashed Potatoes

4 servings

3       fresh or frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts

1       package Lipton Soup Secrets Extra Noodle with Real Chicken                 

        Broth. (Each box contains two packages, use only one)

        Open the package being careful not to shake it.  

        Remove as many of the noodles as you can; you want 

        the seasonings for flavor

4       teaspoons Better than Bouillon Chicken Base

7       cups hot water

2       medium stalks celery, chopped (1 cup)

2       medium carrots, peeled and chopped

1       tablespoon dried parsley or 1 teaspoon parsley flakes

1       teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1/4     teaspoon pepper

1       cup uncooked extra wide egg noodles.

In a 3 quart sauce pan, with the lid on, boil the chicken in the Lipton soup seasoning, Bouillon chicken base and 7 cups water. Boil until chicken is tender.

Remove chicken from pot and chop into bite size pieces or shred.

Add celery, carrots, seasonings and chicken back into pot. Bring to a full boil.

Add the noodles and boil until tender (about 20 minutes) 

Keep the lid on to prevent loosing the liquid to evaporation.

Mashed Potatoes

While soup is boiling,  

Peel and cut 4 potatoes into small pieces and boil in a pot of water.  

When you can easily insert a fork into the potatoes, they are done. 

Drain in a colander over the sink, 

then put the potatoes back into the pot, 

add 1/2 cube butter and 1/4 cup milk.  

Mix with an electric mixer until creamy, 

adding a little more milk if needed.

To serve,  put a scoop of mashed potatoes in a bowl,  

then top with the chicken noodle soup

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Note:   To make this recipe in 20 minutes or less, 
        You can prepare the chicken in advance to by using this
        recipe:


http://armstrongfamilyrecipes.blogspot.com/2010/10/chicken-four-meals-prepared-in-15.html

A Perfect Sugar Cookie

The perfect - soft, not too sweet, just right sugar cookie.

I doubled this batch to 4 dozen, by the time they were cool there was only one dozen left.   My kids couldn't wait to frost them.  

They are really good even without frosting

About 2 dozen cookies

Cookies 

1     cup granulated sugar

1/2   cup (1 stick) butter

1     egg

1     teaspoon lemon extract

2     cups all-purpose flour

1     teaspoon baking powder

1/2   teaspoon salt

1/4   cup milk

Icing:

1/4   cup (1/2 stick) butter, at room temperature

1     (1 pound) box of powdered sugar (about 4 cups) sifted

1     teaspoon vanilla extract

1     (5 ounce) can evaporated milk

      food coloring (optional) 

or this Icing:

4 cups powdered sugar

1 stick butter, softened

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/4 cup evaporated milk

food coloring for icing                                                                     

With an electric mixer, blend sugar, butter and egg.   Add the lemon extract and beat for 1 minute

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk to the butter mixture, mixing well after each addition.

Divide the dough in half, wrap in plastic,  and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.  

Preheat the Oven to 375 degrees

On a lightly floured surface, roll half of the dough to 1/4 inch thick.   Dip a cookie cutter into flour, cut into the dough, and place the cookies on a non-greased cookie sheet.   Add flour to the rolling surface as needed.

Bake 7 to 10 minutes ( You do not need to let the edges get brown with this recipe) cool on racks.

Icing

To make the icing, combine the butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a bowl.   Beat with an electric mixer until blended.   Add the evaporated milk one tablespoon at a time and continue to beat to desired spread consistency.   

Spread the icing on the completely cooled cookies, and decorate.

I barely snapped a picture before 

Sami grabbed one and messed up the photo!

Enjoy!

Our Neighbor's Chocolate Chip Cookies

I'm always looking out for another Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. 

We got this one from our next door neighbor last year and haven't replaced it yet

because the are so soft and the flavor is so GOOD!

Heat Oven at 350 degrees

Ingredients

1           cup butter

2           eggs

1           teaspoon vanilla

1           cup brown sugar

1/2        cup white sugar

2  to 2 1/2      cups flour

1                   teaspoon salt

1                   teaspoon baking soda

Small bag milk chocolate chips

Cream together butter, eggs, vanilla, brown sugar and white sugar.   Mix well. 

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and soda.

gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture.   Mixing well.   Stir in the chocolate chips. 

Bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees

On Sunday's all my kids and grandkids come home to visit and have dinner.   

We all love warm cookies right out of the oven.   

I make the cookie dough in advance, store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Then on sunday afternoons we preheat the oven and bake the cookies for 10 minutes. 

A nice glass of cold milk, fun conversation and a good puzzle 

finishes out sunday night just right!

Jason's Favorite Spaghetti Sauce

Jason's first solid food was spaghetti.  He still loves it and this is his favorite. 

Ingredients

1 -1/2        pound extra lean ground beef

1               jar Prego traditional flavor spaghetti sauce

1               tablespoon olive oil

1               tablespoon McCormick Italian seasoning

Brown the ground beef on medium heat,  in a large skillet with 1 tablespoon olive oil.   

There shouldn't be any fat when the beef is crumbled and brown, if so, place browned beef in a colander and rinse under hot water to remove all fat.   

Put the beef back into the skillet and add the Prego spaghetti sauce.   

Add 1 tablespoon italian seasoning.   Stir 

Place a lid on the skillet, turn the temperature to low and gently simmer while you boil the pasta. 

Serve with corn or a green salad. 

I was planning on a photo of the finished dish, but Jason ate it so quickly I didn't have time to get my camera!   Oh well, next time.

Pizza Sauce

Ingredients

2             (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, drained well

2             tablespoons dried oregano

3             tablespoons olive oil

1/2          teaspoon salt

Put the tomatoes in a colander and push the juice out with a spoon.   Put the drained tomatoes in a blender and pulse to crush them.   Add Oregano, oil and salt.  Blend

Pizza Crust

Makes one large or two medium pizzas 


1         tablespoon active dry yeast
1         cup warm water
2         tablespoons olive oil
1         tablespoon honey
1/4      teaspoon salt
3 to 4  cups all purpose flour or half all purpose and half whole wheat flour


Mix the yeast and water in a small bowl, cover and let stand until foamy
5 to 10 minutes


Mix the oil, honey, salt and yeast mixture in a large mixing bowl.   
If using a food processor, add 1 cup of flour at a time, up to 3 cups, mixing well after each addition.   
You may have to stir in the third cup of flour by hand, depending on your machine.   Or mix all 3 cups of flour by hand with a wooden spoon. 


If the dough seems too wet, mix in more flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until the dough is soft.   Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead in more flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until the dough is moderately stiff and somewhat firm to the touch, about 6 minutes. 


Lightly grease pizza pan or cookie sheet with oil.   If you are making two smaller pizzas divide the dough.   With a rolling pin, roll out the dough on a floured surface.   Gently stretch the dough to fill the pan.


Let the dough rise ( it will not rise much) while you make the sauce.

Go Here for Pizza Sauce Recipe

http://armstrongfamilyrecipes.blogspot.com/2010/10/pizza-sauce.html

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and lightly oil pizza pan or cookie sheet

Place the prepared dough in the pan and spread pizza sauce over the dough.

Sprinkle 2 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese over crust,  and place the meats or vegetables of your choice over the cheese.   Add 1/2 cup of cheese on top. 

Bake 15 to 20 minutes on the lowest oven rack.

Smoothie - Ken's Triple Berry

Ken has a smoothie almost every day.   He always makes enough to share.

This is one of his favorite.

Ingredients

2 cups frozen mixed berries

1 CARBmaster  blackberry yogurt (Smith's brand)

1 banana

2 scoops protein powder

It's very low carb, high protein and no sugar - 

except of course the natural fruit sugars.

150 calories per serving

Southwestern Chili with Corn

We had this for dinner today.   

Ken took his first bite, smiled and commented that it is his favorite meal. 

The flavors of the vegetables combine together wonderfully!

So Good!

     1           tbsp. olive oil

     3           carrots chopped

     1           med. red onion chopped

     4           bell peppers chopped (1 each - green, red, orange and yellow)

                                                               

     3/4        pound extra lean ground beef

     3           tbsp tomato paste

     3           15 ounce cans black beans (drained and rinsed)

     2           tbsp chili powder

                  salt and pepper

     1           cup kernel corn (defrosted)

     1           cup grated mozzarella cheese

     2           green onions, sliced.

Heat olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat.

Add carrots, onion and peppers, stirring - cook for 3 minutes

Add beef and cook, breaking it up until it is no longer pink (3-5 minutes)

Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, until it is slightly darkened  (1 minute)

Add beans, chili powder, 3 cups water, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Simmer over medium heat until vegetables are tender - about 10 minutes.

Add additional chili powder and salt to taste.  (I usually add a lot more of both)

Stir in corn.   Divide among bowls and top with cheese and green onions.

Peach Cobbler

6 servings

1/2         cup (1 stick) butter, cut up

1            cup all-purpose flour

1            cup granulated sugar

2            teaspoons baking powder

3/4         cup milk

3 1/2      cups fresh or canned fruit   (You can use sliced peaches or blueberries, sliced apples

               or pears)

3/4         cup firmly packed brown sugar

              ground cinnamon

              Ice Cream 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Melt the butter in a square baking pan in the oven.   Remove the pan from the oven.

Stir the flour, granulated sugar and baking powder in a medium bowl.   Stir in the milk.   Gently pour the mixture into the melted butter in the baking pan.   DO NOT STIR.

Place the fruit of evenly over the batter, top with the brown sugar and sprinkle with cinnamon

Bake until the cobbler is well browned and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.   The baking time will vary depending on the fruit.   Start checking for doneness at 40 minutes.

Serve right out of the oven, plain or with ice cream 

Guacamole by Sami

Ingredients

1               Avocado

1/4           Red onion - finely chopped

                 Lemon juice

                 Salt and pepper

Cut avocado in half and spoon the insides into a bowl

Cut and mash the avocado

Add finely chopped red onion

Add lemon juice (start with a tablespoon)

Add salt and pepper

Season to taste by adding either salt, or lemon juice

Serve with Tortilla chips

Green Salsa for Enchiladas by Karen

Karen's Green Salsa with University of Utah Chips (of course)

Ingredients

12               tomatillos

1                 jalapeno pepper

                   salt

peel and wash the tomatillos

Place in pot and boil until tomatillos JUST BEGIN to turn color (light yellow)

Remove from the water and set aside

Wash the jalapeno and cut off the stem 

If you smell the jalapeno after being cut you can kind of tell how hot it is

Start by using only about 1/2 of the jalapeno 

Place it in a blender and puree

Add the tomatillos and chop

Add salt to taste

This salsa is to be used as an ingredient for Taylor's Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

For a dip to be used with chips you don't have to boil the tomatillos before blending.  

Taylor's Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

This Recipe is so simple.   

Especially if you prepare the chicken before hand in a pressure cooker 

(see this post)

Serves 6

Oven - 350 degrees,   Spray a square baking dish with cooking spray

Ingredients

8 oz.                 Cream Cheese

8 oz                  Green Salsa     (We use Karen's Green Salsa Recipe)

3 cups               Shredded Chicken

1- 1/2 cup          Shredded colby / monterey jack cheese

6                      Flour or Corn Tortillas  (we prefer flour) 

On medium low heat melt the cream cheese.   Then stir in the shredded chicken until well coated

Spread a layer of Green salsa in the bottom of the prepared baking dish

Fill each tortilla with chicken mixture and roll

Place each tortilla, seam side down in the baking dish

Pour green salsa over the top of the tortillas

Top with shredded cheese

Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes or until heated through

Serve with shredded lettuce, black beans, tomatoes and chips. 

We love Zatarain's Rice

(Add water and butter, cover and cook in the microwave for 20 minutes)