Chicken Noodle Soup

My husband picked up Boston Market the other night and came home with not one, but two whole chickens. At $2.00 more, he couldn't pass it up. I got bored with the chicken and mashed potato leftovers, so I decided I would pull my homemade chicken stock out of the freezer (see recipe) and make some chicken noodle soup. And it is a great day for it since it has been rainy and gloomy all day! Thanks to jdsegarr (of thenest.com forums) for posting a great recipe compliments of Tyler Florence.

Chicken Noodle Soup

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 medium carrots, cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices
2 celery ribs, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
I omitted the celery because I hate celery!
4 fresh thyme sprigs (unfortunately, I only had dried...)
1 bay leaf
2 quarts chicken stock, recipe follows
8 ounces dried wide egg noodles
I used thin egg noodles because I just like them better.
1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (again, I only had dried... I really need to have my own herb garden, heh).

Place a soup pot over medium heat and coat with the oil. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery, thyme and bay leaf. Cook and stir for about 6 minutes, until the vegetables are softened but not browned. Pour in the chicken stock and bring the liquid to a boil. Add the noodles and simmer for 5 minutes until tender. Fold in the chicken, and continue to simmer for another couple of minutes to heat through; season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.

Amazing Chicken Stock

I bought a whole chicken at the grocery store and after cooking it, I decided to tackle my own chicken stock. I was scared that it would be an extremely hard process, but it was really easy and the stock was out of this world! Plus my house smelled amazing the whole day I was cooking it. I used Alton Brown's version of his chicken stock with just a few tweaks to it.

Alton Brown's Chicken Stock

4 pounds chicken carcasses, including necks and backs
1 large onion, quartered
4 carrots, peeled and cut in 1/2
4 ribs celery, cut in 1/2
1 leek, white part only, cut in 1/2 lengthwise

I omitted the leek and added a whole turnip, quartered instead
10 sprigs fresh thyme
10 sprigs fresh parsley with stems
2 bay leaves
8 to 10 peppercorns
2 whole cloves garlic, peeled
2 gallons cold water

Place chicken, vegetables, and herbs and spices in 12-quart stockpot. Set opened steamer basket directly on ingredients in pot and pour over water. Cook on high heat until you begin to see bubbles break through the surface of the liquid. Turn heat down to medium low so that stock maintains low, gentle simmer. Skim the scum from the stock with a spoon or fine mesh strainer every 10 to 15 minutes for the first hour of cooking and twice each hour for the next 2 hours. Add hot water as needed to keep bones and vegetables submerged. Simmer uncovered for 6 to 8 hours.

Strain stock through a fine mesh strainer into another large stockpot or heatproof container discarding the solids. Cool immediately in large cooler of ice or a sink full of ice water to below 40 degrees. Place in refrigerator overnight. Remove solidified fat from surface of liquid and store in container with lid in refrigerator for 2 to 3 days or in freezer for up to 3 months. Prior to use, bring to boil for 2 minutes. Use as a base for soups and sauces.

Sautéed String Beans

I have never been a fan of fresh string beans, but my husband really likes them. So, I figured I would try out a recipe to make just for him. I found this recipe on thenest.com and thought it seemed pretty easy. The recipe was for Sautéed String Beans. Thanks to thenest.com for posting this one :).

Sautéed String Beans

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed and snapped into 1-inch pieces

½ cup chicken broth

¼ teaspoon garlic salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
I added one small shallot because I love the way garlic and shallot taste together

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Stir in the green beans. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes more. Add the chicken broth; bring to boiling over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, cover the skillet and cook until the beans are tender, 5 to 7 minutes more. Season with the garlic salt and pepper.

Grilled Packet Potatoes

So, I've decided to give myself a challange. My husband and I have been getting tired of the same thing over and over again. So, for (atleast) this next week, I am going to make something completely new. Whether it be a side dish, main dish, or desert, it has to be new. Yesterday, I was inspired by a new recipe I saw in FamilyFun magazine for a grilled roasted potato. It looked easy and delicious and just in time for summer. I tried it out and it really was great. Thanks to FamilyFun magazine for a yummy side dish.

Grilled Packet Potatoes

8 red or russet potatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick
8 green onions, chopped with some of the green, plus more for garnish
I used a small shallot instead because I didn't have any green onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper

1. Prepare the grill for cooking. Place two 18-inch-long pieces of heavy-duty foil on a flat surface. Divide the potatoes, green onions, and garlic between the two pieces of foil, keeping the mixture in the center of each sheet. Drizzle the potatoes with the olive oil and season them to your liking. Gently toss the ingredients on the foil, then fold and crimp the foil along the sides to make a flat packet (make each packet a uniform thickness for even cooking).

2. Grill the packets for 15 minutes, then turn them over and grill them for 10 minutes more. The potatoes can be served directly from the foil packets, sprinkled with additional green onion. Serves 8.