Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup!

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup!

Soup brings back some funny memories of when my friends and I would try to make our own soup! Surprisingly enough when we made it, it turned out pretty good! Although, now,  I would probably think there was WAAAYYY too much salt haha! Here in the central coast of California the weather has gotten cold and cloudy. Last night I decided to make my own Chick Noodle Soup. I had it for lunch with my husband today! He said it would go well with a Grilled Cheese Sandwich! Here is how I made my own Chicken Noodle Soup.

INGREDIENTS:

1. 1 or 2 cups of Egg Noodles.
2. About 1 tablespoon of Butter.
3. 1/2 or 1 cup of chopped Celery.
4. 1/2 or 1 cup of chopped Carrots.
5. 1/2 lb of cooked, and cut up Chicken Breasts.(I just cooked the chicken in a skillet)
6. 1/2 teaspoon of Basil.
7. 1/2 teaspoon of Oregano. 
8. Salt and Pepper to taste.
9. 4 cans (14.5 oz.) of Chicken Broth.
10. 4 cans (14.5 oz) of Vegetable Broth.

For the Chicken and Vegetable Broth I used Trader Joe's Organic kind. Both of them are 32oz. each and under 2 dollars. If you don't use it all, you can just stick them in the fridge until you need it. And, yes, my celery and carrots were also organic. I try to choose the healthier choice when I can.

DIRECTIONS:

    In a large pot over medium heat, put in your chopped celery and butter. Cook until tender.(5 minutes) Pour in chicken and vegetable broth and stir in chicken, carrots, basil, oregano, salt, pepper, and noodles. Bring all this to a boil and put your heat on low and simmer for 20 minutes.

When I made this I just eyeballed the measurements. This should be pretty exact. You can always add more or less depending on how you like your soup.

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Creamy Tomato, Spinach, and Chicken Pasta!

Creamy Tomato, Spinach, 

and Chicken Pasta!

Back home there is a restaurant called Noodles and Co. I LOVE their "Penne Rosa." This dish is very close to it and I kind of put my own spin on it to make it just a little bit different! We had this for the first time last night! It is husband approved! haha!

INGREDIENTS:

1. 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil.
2. 1/4 or 1/2 of an Onion, chopped very finely. (or no onion at all)
3. 2 cloves of Garlic, minced. 
4. 1 can of Diced Tomatoes.
5. 1/2 teaspoon of dried Oregano.
6. 1/2 teaspoon of dried Basil.
7. A pinch of Red Pepper Flakes. (if you do not want it spicy at all, leave this out)
8. Black Pepper to taste.
9. 1/2 teaspoon of Salt.
10. 2oz.(1/4 cup) or slightly less of Cream Cheese. (use any kind, I used Cooper Cream Cheese!)
11. 1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese.
12. 1/2 lb.(half a box) of Penne Pasta.
13. 3 handfulls of Spinach.
14. Chicken, grilled. (I used Trader Joes, grilled chicken, for a quick make of chicken. They are strips grilled and frozen)
15. 2 tablespoons of tomato paste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender (7-10) minutes. Drain the pasta.
2. While waiting for the pasta to cook, dice the onion and mince the garlic. Cook both in a large skillet with the olive oil over medium-low heat until softened and transparent (about 5 minutes).
3. Add the diced tomatoes (with juices), oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, salt, and some freshly cracked pepper to the skillet with the onions and garlic. Stir to combine. Add the tomato paste and a ½ cup of water to the skillet and stir until the tomato paste is dissolved into the sauce.
4. Turn the heat down to low. Cut the cream cheese into a few pieces and then add them to the skillet with the tomato sauce. Use a whisk to stir the sauce until the cream cheese has fully melted in and the sauce is creamy. Add half of the Parmesan to the skillet and whisk until it is melted in. Add the remainder of the parmesan and whisk until melted in again.
5. Add the fresh spinach and gently stir it into the sauce until it has wilted (3-5 minutes). Add the chicken(if you use the trader joes chicken I used, you will need to heat it up in the microwave just to dethaw it a little bit) and the pasta and stir until it is well coated in the creamy tomato sauce. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Serve!

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Chicken and Rice Casserole

Chicken and Rice Casserole!

My grandma use to make this all the time! This brings back one specific memory from when I was little and I lived in New Mexico. One day is was just me and my dad at home. We were going to go on a bike ride with some neighbors but I got hurt, so we stayed home and he made me this. That's what I think of every time I make this.

INGREDIENTS:

1. 2 cups of Rice. (you can use minute rice, wild rice..any kind you want)
2. 2 cans of Campbell's Cream of Chicken Soup. (I use the 98% less fat kind)
3. 1 cup of Milk and 1 cup of Water. (These are my families measurements but I use 3/4 milk and 1/3 water because its too soupy if I do it the other way when it is just the two of us)
4. 3-4 Chicken Breasts, boneless.
5. A Casserole Dish or a 13x9 dish.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Put the 2 cans of soup, milk, water, and 2 cups of rice into the dish and mix together well. (I use a whisk)
2. Put in your chicken. Place them to where it starts to be covered by the other ingredients.
3. Preheat your oven to 350. Cook for 30 minutes.

This is really good with steamed broccoli and melted cheese. We also steam Asparagus with it too at times. If you want to know how to steam fresh Asparagus Click--> HERE <--

TWITTER: @haleymarie1991

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Crock Pot Chicken n' Dumplings!

Crock Pot Chicken n' Dumplings!

I love Chicken n' Dumplings! They remind me of the south! This is really easy to make! 

If I can make something in a crock pot I do it! haha! It's nice to be able to just stick everything 

in there and leave it until its done! 

INGREDIENTS:

1. 3-5 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 inch pieces.
2. 2 medium Yukon Gold Potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces.(about 2 cups)
3. 2 cups of whole baby carrots.(you can cut those in half if you want)
4. 2 stalks of celery, sliced. (about 1 cup)
5. 2 cans of Campbell's Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup,10 3/4oz each. (I use the 98% fat free)
6. 1 cup of water.
7. 1 teaspoon of dried thyme leaves, crushed.
8. 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper.
9. 2 cups of all-purpose baking mix.(also known as bisquick or jiffy. I use jiffy)
10. 2/3 cup of milk.

NOTE: 9 and 10 are for the dumplings. You will make these 45 minuets before eating!

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place the chicken, potatoes, carrots and celery into a 6-quart slow cooker.
2. Stir the soup, water, thyme and black pepper in a small bowl. Pour the soup mixture over the chicken and vegetables.
3. Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours* or until the chicken is cooked through.
4. FOR THE DUMPLINGS: Stir the baking mix and milk in a medium bowl. Drop the batter by spoonfuls onto the chicken mixture. Increase the heat to HIGH. Tilt the lid to vent and cook for 30-45 minutes or until the dumplings are cooked in the center.

NOTE: If you need to have these cooked in a shorter amount of time, you can cook on HIGH 4 or 5 hours!

Chicken Bow Tie Pasta

Chicken Bow Tie Pasta

To say I love pasta is a understatement! This is something new to me. I have had several versions of this sort of dish, but I think I like this one the best. The others were too dry, too many onions, not enough chicken, etc. We just had this last night. Its easy to make. You can even make it a few hours before and just reheat it and it's still good, as well as for left overs the next day!

INGREDIENTS:

1. 2 tablespoons Olive Oil.
2. 1 clove minced Garlic.
3. 4 cups Baby Spinach Leaves.
4. 2 cups cooked shredded or cubed Chicken Breast.
5. 1/2 teaspoon Salt.
6. 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper.
7. About 1 1/2 to 2 cups of Philadelphia Cooking Cream. (I used italian herb flavor because there wasn't a regular flavor. It seems to be tasty so I am going to stick with it.)
8. 1 Box of Bow Tie Pasta.
9. 1 1/2 cups of shredded Mozzarella Cheese, or to your liking.
10. 9x13 inch pan.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350F.
2. Put oil in a pan the stove to medium. Add the garlic and let it come to a sizzle, then turn the heat down to 3 or 4.
3. Add the spinach. Stir and let cook until the leaves look wilted.
4. Add and stir in the chicken, salt, and pepper.
5. Add the philadelphia cooking cream.
6. Cook the bow tie pasta as it says so on the box.
7. Pour the pasta into the 9x13 pan and mix in the other ingredients.
8. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese on top of it all and put it in the oven for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

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How to Roast Green Chillies!

How to Roast Green Chillies!

My mouth waters every time I see this picture! haha! When I lived in New Mexico my family had a friend, Joe, who we called our "Green Chili Man." He would have us for dinner and roast us some green chillies. Once we moved from there to Tennessee the chillies or jalapeños were never the same! Not even the mexican restaurants satisfied our hungry for hot authentic mexican food, which chillies are used a lot for. We use to have a bunch shipped to us but it is really expensive to do so. My birth mom, Christa, who lives in Oklahoma, she saw some new mexican chillies at her whole foods store and she sent us all some! Now I can have some spicy everything!! It's even good on steak! haha! 

Heres how to roast green chillies.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Wash and put a little slit with a knife in the green chili.
2. Put your oven on Broil. (If you dont have a broiling pan like i do just take a cookie sheet and put some foil on it)
3. Lay your chillies on the sheet. Spread them out evenly and don't let them touch.
4. Put them in the oven for 5 minutes and then flip them over. (they will look like they are getting burned, thats ok..they need to look that way. like in the picture above)
5. Once they are done, let them cool down and then peel them. (if you roasted them long enough they will peel really easy!)
6. Pull the stem off and then peel the skin. 

before peeled and stemmed

after peeled and stemmed

Now what do you do with them? You chop them up and freeze it! Put them chopped chillies in a Gallon sized ziplock bag. Spread it out where it lays flat and freezes that way. So, when you need some all you have to do it break off a piece of it.

what is looks like all chopped up.


I will be making a salsa recipe coming up soon where you can use this green chili (or you can replace it with jalapeños is you want), so be on the look out for that! You can put this on Steak, Chicken Fajitas, Pork, pretty much ANYTHING! lol 



WARNING! DO NOT TOUCH YOUR EYES WHEN ROASTING, PEELING, OR CHOPPING GREEN CHILLIES! WASH HANDS THROUGHLY AFTER AND MANY TIMES AFTER!

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Moroccan Chicken with Couscous

Moroccan Chicken with Couscous

My husband Josh LOVES Moroccan Chicken! We even had it on our wedding day! Now I'm not really sure if this is the real moroccan chicken but hey, its SO tasty! The recipe I have is from my 

mother-in-law, but I have changed it just a tad. 

INGREDIENTS:

1. 2 tablespoons of Curry. (I use Hot Curry but there is just regular)
2. 1 teaspoon of Cinnamon.
3. 2-4 Boneless, Skinless, Chicken breasts. (I cut them in half. It started as just to make the amount in the chicken that was in the freezer to last and I just stuck with it)
4. 1 Box of Couscous. (the directions for the amount of people is on the back)
5. Salt and Pepper to taste.
6. 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Put salt and pepper on both sides of the chicken.
2. Take a small bowl and put your 2 tablespoons of curry and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the bowl. Mix it together so it becomes a paste. (I make it a little more watery looking then a paste so I may put more then a 1 tablespoon)
3. Spread the paste onto both sides of the chicken.
4. Put in the oven on 350F for 30 minutes.
5. Make your Couscous when you have 15-10 minutes left on the oven.
   
   
   
   

       (I also use a knife to mix and to spread on the chicken. you can use your hands but mine smell like the paste even the day after if I do haha!)

(This is the kind of Couscous I use. I am told you can use Quinao{Keen-wah}..but why mess with a good thing haha!)

You will not be disappointed! It is SO GOOD! My husband says though its not good as left overs haha! It just looses a little bit of flavor. Its not near as good as it is right out of the oven. I am making this right now and my stomach is grumbling!! Today is the 22nd of August! Today it has been 8 months since our wedding day, so its the perfect dinner! This is really easy and quick to make too!

December 22nd, 2012! <3

INSTAGRAM: haleymarie1991
TWITTER: @haleymarie1991

Chicken Fajitas

Chicken Fajitas 

I am from New Mexico. I have been raised on the BEST mexican food there is. The closest you will find to actual food in Mexico. I have had both. I like both. They do have their differences but who cares! As long as its spicy, am I right? haha! This is my mom's recipe, and hers will always be better, but I like to think mine is pretty close!

INGREDIENTS:

1. 2 tablespoons of Lime Juice
2. 1 teaspoon of Salt
3. 1 medium Onion, cut into small slices
4. 1 Green Bell Pepper
5. 2-3 Boneless Chicken Breasts, cut into 1 inch strips.
6. 1 tablespoon of oil

DIRECTIONS:

1. I put all the onion and meat in a bowl and then add the Lime Juice and salt into the bowl and mix it up while your skillet is heating. Put your skillet on medium. Then pour all the contents that's in the bowl into the skillet.
2. Cook for 10 minutes, stir every few minutes.
3. Add the green bell peppers the last two minutes.
4. Cook until the meat is done and the peppers are some what tender.

EXTRAS:

      Tortillas: You can just eat with cold tortillas, but I like to get a separate, smaller skillet and put it on 3, then heat the tortillas for 5-10 seconds on each side. You could just microwave them but it changes the texture of the tortilla. It becomes harder to eat, almost stretchy.

     NOTES: I used a 2 eye skillet the last time I made this and it seemed to work pretty well also.

                    You can also use steak, same directions.

INSTAGRAM: haleymarie1991
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Tomato Chicken

I would like to share with you all a dinner I came up with all by myself! This was one of the first meals of many I came up with by myself a few months into marriage. It is now one our favorites! 

  INGREDIENTS:

1. 3-4 Boneless Chicken Breasts.
2. 2 Cans of Diced Tomatoes. (I use the Del Monte brand)
3. 1 Can of Chicken Broth
4. Salt (to taste)
5. Pepper (to taste)
6. Onion Powder (to taste)
7. Crushed Red Pepper (to taste)*optional
8. Minute Rice (for 2 servings is 1 cup of water and 1 cup of rice)
9. 1 Can Black Beans
10. 1 Cap full of Olive Oil

  DIRECTIONS:

1. Season both sides of chicken with salt, pepper, and onion powder. Heat skillet on medium and add 1 cap full of olive oil. Cook the chicken until white and almost golden on both sides. Add both cans of diced tomatoes and chicken broth. Stir, add crushed red pepper, and let come to a boil. Let boil for 5 minutes. (if you are wanting to let this marinate and eat the next day, this is where you want to put all the contents into a container and put in the fridge. just put in the skillet again the next day and reheat. bring to almost to a boil)
2. Cook rice.
3. Cook black beans.

* We like it better the second day! It tastes a whole lot better! But, be warned, the longer it sits the hotter it gets if you add the red pepper.

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