Crustless Sweet Potato Pie with Pumpkinseed Crunch

Crustless Sweet Potato Pie with Pumpkinseed Crunch

WHAT?! Pie without the crust?! Blasphemer! Yes, I know. I am a huge fan of pie crust, and have been known to bake extra pieces of the crust just to dip into my filling while I bake ( I did not say I was proud of that fact, just that it was true). However, I hate pre-made crusts and crusting takes forever and obscene amount of utensils to make it perfect, and after all the time and patience I have found it still is inconsistent whether it will turn out pretty or not. Therefore, I do this for dinner parties because individual ramkins make you look chic and sophisticated, and the lack of a crust means you get to eat twice as many without the caloric overload (or I suppose you could just be healthy and eat just one, but that's just crazy talk).

Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 pounds of sweet potatoes, baked, and mashed (but not overmashed)
- 2 Lg. eggs
- 1 Lg. egg white
- 1/2 cup (or 3/4 if you like it really sweet) maple syrup (the good stuff from Vermont!)
- 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp. grated nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 2 Tablespoons of raw sugar
- 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds (not salted)

Directions:
Preheat to 375.

Whisk mashed sweet potato with whole eggs, 1 egg white, maple syrup, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Spoon into individual ramkins. Sprinkle with raw sugar. Bake in middle of oven until it doesn't look jiggly (check at 20-25 mins).

Spray foil with cooking spray. Toast pumpkin seeds in skillet with 1 Tablespoon of maple syrup for 1-2 mins until golden. Spread on foil and let cool in a layer. When ramekins are done, crumble seeds over each to garnish.

*Can also whip 1 cup cream with a little vanilla and cinnamon and dollop or serve on the side.

*This also works well for any pumpkin pie recipe. Just watch the ramekins b/c they bake differently in different ovens.

Shashukah...Lichiam!

Shashukah!

This roughly translates to "Eggs Poached in Tomato Sauce." This is an Israeli dish kids used to bring to potluck when I was in school, but after a little bit of research (aka typing it into Google) I have learned that nearly all nationalities have their own version of this, which is so good to know b/c any endless possibilities exist for this really easy, bread holding dish. Enjoy!
*This is adapted from the Smitten Kitchen blog and a sheet of paper found in my mother's recipe box, so who knows where it really came from.


Ingredients:
- sick amount of olive oil
- 2 small onions
- 3 fresh chiles (halved and seeded, but if you like it really hot leave in the seeds or use some adobe chiles from the can)
- 6 cloves of garlic, crushed and sliced
- 1 Tablespoon of paprika (smoked is better)
- 1 tsp. of cumin
- 2-4 leaves of sage
-1 pat of butter
- 1 Tablespoon red pepper flakes
- 4 eggs
- 1 can of crushed tomatoes (or do it yourself with whole tomatoes as if you are making tomato sauce)
- salt and pepper to taste
- crumbled feta
- warm, crusty bread

Directions:

Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add chiles and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, and paprika, and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is soft, about 2 more minutes. In another pan brown a pat of butter and cook sage leaves in it until they get brown and you begin to smell them, about 2-3 mins. Set aside.

Put tomatoes and their liquid into a medium bowl and crush with your hands. Add crushed tomatoes and their liquid to skillet along with 1/2 cup water, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes. Season sauce with salt.

Crack eggs over sauce so that eggs are evenly distributed across sauce’s surface. Cover skillet and cook until yolks are just set, about 5 minutes. Using a spoon, baste the whites of the eggs with tomato mixture, being careful not to disturb the yolk. Sprinkle with feta. Cut up the sage leaves and sprinkle on top (some people use flat leaf parsley, but parsley makes me gag) and serve with warm crusty bread

*When I made this recently I forwent the feta and instead spread goat cheese on bread for dipping and that was even better, so choose your cheese option to taste.

Simple Tomato Sauce

Simple Tomato Sauce

It has come to my attention that nearly everyone I know, even the sever foodies, still use tomato sauce from the can! This is astonishing, not only because of the pure amount of sodium and who knows what else from the can, and not only because my mother still makes it fresh (the woman who has since been converted to a life of Jenny Craig, Nutra-System, and any other get-thin-quick pre-made food), but because it is possibly the EASIEST thing in the world to make. It is impossible to screw up and as long as there are tomatoes in the house, almost anything goes. So here it is: the simplest homemade tomato recipe. I like to make huge batches at the end of the summer then freeze them individually for all year round good times when tomatoes are no longer in Virginia, but for you warm weathered eaters with eternal access to tomatoes, I am jealous.

Ingredients:
- Tons of tomatoes (3 lbs is recommended, but you know how tomato-y you like it so use some discretion. Also, I like romas, but anything goes and mixing yellow, green, and cherries in with the big tomatoes will give it a great taste)
- 2-3 Tablespoons olive oil or 2 pats of butter
- 3-5 cloves of garlic, minced
- slivers of fresh basil
- Italian seasonings such as oregano, thyme, etc. (*optional)
- 1/2-1 cup leftover red wine (*optional, but don't use anything you wouldn't drink!)
- large onion, chopped or slivered
- 1-2 carrots, chopped
- 8 oz. mushrooms (any kind works, and again all veggies are optional)

Directions:

Cut small X on bottoms of tomatoes. Place in a pot of boiling water for about 20 seconds, then in an ice bath or cold water. Peel off the skin. Then squeeze tomatoes over a strainer reserving juices and getting rid of the seeds. Chop the squished and squeezed tomatoes, or if you are feeling lazy, just wait and use a potato masher in the pot when making the sauce. (*If you are feeling very lazy, skip this step and buy 2 cans of peeled or crushed tomatoes)

Heat olive oil in the pot you plan to make the sauce in (one less pan in better for everyone to deal with). Add garlic and cook until lightly brown. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add any other veggies you want softened (aka mushrooms, carrots if you don't like them crunchy, celery, etc.). Then add tomatoes, salt, pepper, and reserved liquid. Add in the wine and any other spices (I like to add in a lot of red pepper flakes and adobe chiles, but I like things hot in the kitchen). Stir.

Bring to a boil, then put it on simmer, and go watch an episode of Dexter or something for about 1/2 hr while it simmers, stirring occasionally, and that's it! You're done. Salt and Pepper to taste.

OTHER OPTIONS:

- Instead of red wine, you can add 1/2 cup of vodka and some cream to make it a creamy tomato vodka sauce (look to add enough to make it a dark orange color)

- for extra flavor, simmer the basil leaves or sage leaves in the butter before putting other stuff in the pot.

- Add 1/2-1 lbs. of ground turkey to a pan and/or sweet Italian sausages, cook until brown, and throw in to make it a meat sauce.

- Add a scope of tomato paste if you like it to me a little richer, or add less of the tomato juices.

- While making the sauce, roast leftover tomatoes in the oven at 400, drizzled with salt, pepper, and olive oil until sauce is ready. Add them in at the end, mashing with a fork for extra smoky, tomato-y flavor.

Veggie Casserole w/ Tofu Topping

VEGAN! For the record, mine never looks like this, but there's hope that it could. Enjoy!



For vegetables

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 medium onions, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced lengthwise
• 1 lb cabbage, cored and cut crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices (4 cups)
• 1 lb kale, stems and center ribs removed and leaves coarsely chopped (12 cups)
• 1/2 lb carrots, cut into 1/4-inch-thick matchsticks
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

For topping

• 1 1/2 cups fine fresh or dried bread crumbs, preferably whole wheat
• 7 oz firm tofu
• 1 oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano(1/2 cup)
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 teaspoons dried basil, crumbled
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Sauté vegetables:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.

Heat oil in a deep 12- to 14-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté onion, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to moderate and add cabbage, kale, carrots, water, soy sauce, and salt. (Skillet will be full, but volume will reduce as vegetables steam.) Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are just tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a 13- by 9-inch glass baking dish.

Make topping:
Pulse all topping ingredients together in a food processor until combined well. Alternatively, mash ingredients together in a large bowl with a potato masher. Sprinkle tofu mixture over vegetables in baking dish and bake, uncovered, until topping is golden brown and vegetables are heated through, 15 to 20 minutes.

Snickerdoodles

Snickerdoodles

Easy to make, still smells like Christmas and for extra flavor include 1/4 tsp. of vanilla, almond, or cinnamon.

Ingredients:
1C soft shortening (margarine)
1 1/2C granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 3/4C flour
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt


Directions:
Combine shortening, sugar and eggs. Sift together and stir in flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt.

Chill dough for about 20 mins. Preheat oven to 400. Roll dough into balls the size of small walnuts. Roll into mixture of 2 Tblsp. of sugar and 2 Tblsp. cinnamon.

Place about 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Place in preheated oven for about 8-10 mins. or until golden brown.

Parmesan Mushroom Risotto

Parmesan Mushroom Risotto

Yes, another pain in the arse, take your sweet time recipe, but it is totally worth it. Since I don't like greenie veggies in my risotto, this is my alternative to Mel's. I like to use a ton of different kinds of mushrooms, and it is really to taste. It takes awhile, so this is a dish to prepare if you are trying to impress someone or you like to calm down you nerves with cooking (eh hem, me). What I love most about risotto is how fascinating it is that such a small little granule can absorb so much liquid. It fills with flavor and becomes creamy and melts in your mouth from something so simplistic. Quite a romantic dish.


Ingredients:
1/2 lb of wild mushrooms (shiitaki, cremini, or whatever you fancy/can afford), dried. You can find these on the side of the fresh veggies side. Make sure you get the dried out kind b/c the broth left over works amazingly well
1/2-1 lb. fresh mushrooms, chopped
1 leek (optional)
1 sweet, white onion
1 Tblsp. minced garlic, or 3 cloves
2 Tblsp. butter (optional)
2 Tblsp. olive oil
1C chicken or veggie broth
1C white wine or sherry wine, whatever is available
1C arborio (aka risotto) rice
1-1/2C grated, fresh Parmesan cheese
1T chopped, fresh basil (for garnish)
*truffle oil, if you happen to have it in the spice rack, but its expensive so don't worry if you don't


Directions:
Reconstitute the dried mushrooms (aka put them in lukewarm 4C water & 1/2C sherry to absorb for about 1-2 hrs or follow directions on the package), then drain. Set aside broth.

Heat oil in largest skillet/saucepan you have. Dice onions and leeks, and sautée until translucent. Add garlic to brown for a min or so. Add reconstituted mushrooms, and fresh mushrooms, until tender. Salt & pepper, to taste. Take out veggies with slotted spoon and set aside, leaving oil and drippings in pan (if it looks a bit dry, add some more oil and let heat).

Bring heat to med-low and melt butter if you so desire but not necessary. Add rice, stirring continuously to keep it from browning, until it turns translucent (about 7-10 mins). Warm the wine on low in a separate pot. Simmer the broth to be used (should be about 4-5C of broth from the mushrooms, but if you don't have enough, substitute chicken or veggie broth) in yet another pot. Your pot count should be 3!

Stir in the set-aside veggies in with the rice in the large saucepan. Stir in 1/2C of the warmed wine until completely absorbed. It must be warmed to keep from "shocking" the rice, or it will begin to flake, taking a bit away from the romanticism, not to metion the taste.

Once absorbed, begin to ladle 1/4C of the broth at a time, stirring occasionally. Once it begins to look all absorbed, ladle in more until you are out of liquid (it should equal about 5C of liquid). This process takes quite awhile with the ladling and stirring and waiting for absorption, so don't feel like you are doing it wrong, it supposed to be a bit creamy, liquid-y, and take awhile. If you still aren't sure, keep tasting the rice grains, it should taste al dente, and not hard.

When most of the broth is absorbed (during the last ladle), add in 1Tblsp. butter if desired, or a few Tblsp. of cream, Parmesan, and salt and pepper to taste. Take off the heat. Add the basil as a garnish on top or mix in.

This would be a good pairing with basic chicken in white wine, or sauteed chicken strips can be mixed in for a more filling meal.

Enjoy!

Kitchy Kitchen Appliances Defunked!

So, I am a product junkie, but since my guilt-ridden move to greening, I can no longer buy bath and body products when I don't need them or without looking up and down at the ingredients. Any normal person, would just make the transition, but since I am a tad OCD, I needed my obsession to seep into another aspect of my life, and so it has - into cooking. I longingly glance in the windows of William Sonoma and Crate and Barrel for a peek at their pricey shelves of decadent kitchen appliance, and watch hours longer than I will admit of QVC ads selling numerous chopping, whipping, blending, heating devices I may or may not be able to live without. Yet, the whole poor, loan-laden student lifestyle leaves very little budget wiggle room for such items, however I constantly find myself wondering if I had the ability, which items would I absolutely need. So I have started to gather a list of the needs vs. the need nots. Thanks to the help of my mother, Heather, and law school's lack of entertainment leaving me with plenty of time to search reviews on such items, I have come up with some reviews. Please let me know if there are things you cannot live without, and things you certainly can and merely sit in the corner being un-used.


Must Haves:
- French Press
- Cuisinart Mixer
- Cuisinart Blender
- Crock pot
- Krups bean grinder
- Stainless steel mixing bowls
- Copper mixing bowl
- Silpat Cookie liner
- Roasting Pan
- One set of intricate bread loaves
- Cooling rack
- Japanese Rice Cooker
- Silicone Spatula or Spoonula


No Needs:
- The Magic Bullet
- GT Express 101
- Burr Grinder
- Pizza Stone
- Cookie Press

JC's Potato Leek Soup

Potato Leek Soup

OK, I will admit it, I took this straight from Julie/Julia, which took it straight from Frenchie, Foodie, Julia Child's Master the Art of French Cooking, so this is kind of a Kevin Bacon dish, but the end result is amazing. I am embarrassed to have been so influenced by the media version of cooking, but I will give my quick review - Book: annoyingly obvious, Movie: fabulous. However, Julie Powell's description of this dish is spot on (and completely unlike any other part of the book). It's easy, takes awhile, but its so good for something so simple. I never really have the urge to make soup, nor have I ever tried because soup is an "and..." type of dish. Let me explain: Anytime you mention soup as a meal, especially for dinner, the inevitable next question is, soup and...? Its always soup and salad or soup and sandwich, so if you are going to fuss with cooking why bother making something when you are going to have to make something with it?! Exception: tomato soup, which is pure comfort food. But this is going to soon take over tomato's coveted position. Its sweet, filling, and gives a sense of accomplishment (though, I might just feel that way because I accomplished it in stark contrast to all of copyright law). Its also so good because it took me a moment to even remember what a leek was, not to mention I doubt I had ever had one before, but turns out its just a more mild version of celery (which is good because I hate celery). So here it is: The original recipe with a few tweaks (as always).


Ingredients:
3-4 cups of diced peeled potatoes (1 lb.)
3 cups thinly sliced leeks, including the tender greens (cut all the way until the real greeny part and it starts looking like a stalk instead of a meaty vegetable)
2 quarts water
1 Tablespoon salt
3 Tblsp. butter
dash of cream (optional)

Directions:
Peel potatoes and chop. Slice leeks. Salt and boil water in 3-4 Qt. saucepan.

Simmer vegetables, salt, and water together, partially covered for 40-50 minutes. Mash the vegetables into the soup with a fork or pass through a food mill. I neither had the patience for the fork or possessed a food mill so, I just mushed them back and forth with a slotted pancake-flipper, but to each his/her own.

Julia does not like the texture of soup pureed in a blender, and I have to agree. It should look like the picture. Adjust salt and pepper. When ready to serve, bring soup back to simmering. Then off the heat, stir in the cream or butter and top with ground pepper. Serve with warmed French Bread. Makes 2 quarts of soup for 6-8 servings.

Barefooted Lasagna

Barefooted Lasagna

I've done it! 3rd time really is a charm! After many failed experiments with the lasagna (HWSNBNITB has stated many a time how he preferred Stoffers, which of course broke my heart a little bit, causing me to go into a frenzy to find the perfect recipe). This is adopted from The Barefoot Contessa's recipe, takes about an hr., and produces a tangy, sweet and reheatably delicious result. Again, this is of course to taste, so tomato people- use 2/3 of the ricotta mixture and double the ingredients for the tomato sauce, and you will have enough leftover for spaghetti later in the week. Cheesy/Creamy people-keep the cheese the same and the tomato the same. Warning: this is a super rich dish. I like to pair this with a sweetish white (my favorite right now is Crystalis Sarah's Patio White - its amazing!) and for veggies, crunchy califlower is a nice addition.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion (1 onion)
1 pck of button mushrooms or whatever mushrooms you relate best to
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage
1 lb. ground turkey (or soy crumbles if you wish)
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes in tomato puree
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1 Tblsp. oregano leaves
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 Tblsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. paprika
1 pound lasagna noodles (use the no bake ones, they are waaaay easier)
15 ounces ricotta cheese
3 to 4 ounces creamy goat cheese, crumbled OR chive & garlic cheese spread OR feta
1 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/4 cup for sprinkling
1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
1 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
1 pkg shredded mozzarella

*Again, tomato stuff should be doubled and cheese should be halved for tomato-people
*If you want to make it veggie: Use soy crumbles and morning star sausage instead and include bell peppers, spinach, etc. to taste
*Spices are to taste and can be altered based on your taste and spice rack amenities

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a large (10 to 12-inch) skillet. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes over medium-low heat, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the sausage and cook over medium-low heat, breaking it up with a fork, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until no longer pink. Then add the mushrooms until cooked for a min or two. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, pepper flakes, and any other spices you see fit. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat, for 15 to 20 minutes, until thickened.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

If using baking noodles, fill a large bowl with the hottest tap water. Add the noodles and allow them to sit in the water for 20 minutes. Drain. *Skip step if using no-bake.

In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, goat cheese/garlic spread cheese, 1 cup of Parmesan, the egg, some chopped basil to flavor, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Set aside.

Ladle 1/3 of the sauce into a 9 by 12 by 2-inch rectangular baking dish, spreading the sauce over the bottom of the dish. Then add the layers as follows: half the pasta, half the mozzarella, half the ricotta, and one 1/3 of the sauce. Add the rest of the pasta, mozzarella, ricotta, and finally, sauce. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of Parmesan and a little shredded mozzarella. Bake for 45 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling.

Let cool for 5-1o mins, while cooking the cauliflower or your chosen veggie for the evening.

Makes a pretty large pan, so invite some friends, drink some wine, and enjoy!

Whoohoo!

Organic Caramel Popcorn

The All Organic Recipe for Perfect Organic Caramel Popcorn!!!

I've done it ladies! Whilst ignoring the large amounts of reading that has slowly been piling up over the weekend, I have focused my energy on a new feet: I have officially found the perfect recipe for organic caramel popcorn. Now, I know there is organic corn syrup out there, but I just plain
don't trust it! The corn industry scares me with their popsicle ads. So, I have developed my own recipe for caramel corn without the use of it. I must admit the measurements might be off a little (mainly because I made it up as I went along).


I will also give the instructions for the perfect way to make popcorn because again I am distrusting of the microwave popcorn industry also. Basically, I am 3 steps away from living in my own farm house right outside of a no-name town next to the unibomber, but at least I will be eating well and plan to outlive everyone. I literally did not have a single unpopped kernel using this method!

The Perfect Way to Make Popcorn:

Ingredients:
1/3 cup unpopped popcorn kernels
3 Tblsp. popcorn oil (or olive/grapeseed oil if you wish)
1 tsp. salt
*1-2Tblsp. butter to taste
*Big-ass NONSTICK pot (I use the same pot for the caramel. MIne is 8 1/2 Quarts)

Directions: (taken from Simplyrecipes.com)
Heat the oil in a 3-quart saucepan on medium high heat.

Put 3 or 4 popcorn kernels into the oil and cover the pan.

When the kernels pop, add the rest of the 1/3 cup of popcorn kernels in an even layer. Cover, remove from heat and count 30 seconds. This method first heats the oil to the right temperature, then waiting 30 seconds brings all of the other kernels to a near-popping temperature so that when they are put back on the heat, they all pop at about the same time.

Return the pan to the heat. The popcorn should begin popping all at once. Once the popping starts, gently shake the pot by moving it back and forth over the burner. Try to keep the lid slightly ajar to let the steam from the popcorn release (the popcorn will be drier and crisper). Once the popping slows to several seconds between pops, remove the pan from the heat, remove the lid, and dump the popcorn immediately into a wide bowl.

If you are adding butter, you can easily melt it by placing the butter in the now empty, but hot pan. Salt to taste.

and now....

Organic Caramel Popcorn
*There are two versions. The first allows for chewy, hot off the stove caramel corn, and the other is akind to firmer, crispy caramel corn much like cracker jack, so use the oven if you like crispy, leave it alone for softer corn. The crispy tends to be a little grainer, so if you don't distrust the corn industry, go ahead and substitute corn syrup for the honey and agave.

Ingredients:
4-5 quarts popped popcorn (a double batch of the above popcorn recipe, unsalted, unbuttered)
2C firmly packed organic brown sugar (light or dark is your choice)
1C (2 sticks) unsalted butter (could probably reduce to 1 1/2 sticks)
3T organic molasses
1T organic honey
1 Tbsp organic agave nectar (*or double honey amount)
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
*Almonds or peanuts if you wish

Directions:

Heat oven to 225 degrees if using oven method.

Combine brown sugar, butter, molasses, honey, agave nectar and salt in a thick-bottomed, pot (aha, big ass pot). Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to a full boil. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until thermometer reaches 250°F or if you don't have one, use a small amount of mixture dropped in ice water until it forms a hard ball (about 12 to 14 minutes). Remove from heat; stir in baking soda. The caramel will foam up a little and turn a lighter color when you add the baking soda.

Pour the popcorn into the pot along with the add-ins if you want them. Using a wooden spoon, stir until all popcorn is coated. Place in oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, stir to more evenly coat the popcorn with the caramel sauce. Return to oven. Continue cooking for 10-15 minutes. Remove from oven. Immediately spread caramel corn out onto waxed paper. Let cool completely. Break into bite-sized pieces. Store in tightly covered container.

Makes about 5 quarts.

Enjoy! Pair with a good, sweet white wine and romantic comedy for the perfect night in, Carly-style.

Almond-Stuffed Chicken

Almond-Stuffed Chicken with Salted Green Beans & Couscous

I must admit two things: One, I stole this from Cooking Light and its awesome because you can make it in under 30 mins, and two, I did not know how to solve the problem of not knowing weather the chicken was done on the inside. The cheesy goodness makes it hard for the chicken to warm on the inside and due to the fact that my lovely boyfriend doesn't quite get the fact that ecen though I said, "cut the chicken in half," does not actually mean cut the entire chicken in half but merely enough to stuff it (honest mistake), I ended up just baking both sides and stuffing the cheesy goodness in after cooking it in the pan. If you find a better way, please feel free to comment. All in all, I thought it was awesome, creamy, but still tasty, which says a lot from an anti-creamy person.

Ingredients:
1/3C light garlic-and-herbs spreadable cheese (I swear, it exists. You can also use Boursin)
1/4C slivered almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped
1 handful of fresh basil, chopped
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 1/2 tsp. butter
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 Tblsp. parmesan (optional)

Ingredients for sides:
box of Mediterranean couscous
1/2 lb. green beans, cut ends
salt to taste

Directions:
Toast Almonds in skillet without oil. Combine spreadable cheese,
3/4 of the almonds, basil in a small bowl. Set aside.

Cut horizontal slit in chicken to form a pocket. DO NOT cut all the way through. He who shall not be named in this blog ("HWSNBNITB," I will only use this when he does something less than stellar), took my directions a bit too literally and thus we ended up having to sew chicken breast halves back together with toothpicks, not the prettiest end to the chicken. I'm not sure how to cook the chicken all the way through with the cheese in the middle so you might want to broil the chicken on low for a few mins before placing it in the skillet, but that's really for the next set. Stuff chicken pocket with the cheese mixture. Salt, Pepper, and paprika both sides of the chicken.

Heat butter (or oil for a healthier option) in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add chicken to pan. Again, not sure how to solve the issue of cooking the chicken thoroughly on both sides enough to cook the middle because of the cheese mixture inside. If you solve this issue, leave a comment on the post. I ended up separating the halved until cooked then stuffing the mixture back in before taking it off the heat, but not the prettiest outcome.

Cook couscous according to the package and set aside.

Boil salted water, then cook green beans for 2-3 mins. Once chicken is done, throw the green beans in the hot skillet with some salt and toss in the pan. This keeps them crispy.

Place chicken on plate covering with parmasean if you wish. Then place couscous and green beans on the plate, covering everything with remaining almond slices and basil to decorate.

One Pot, One Pan, Balsamic Chicken

One Pot, One Pan Balsamic Chicken with Baby Spinach and Couscous


This is probably one of the fastest "real" meals you could possibly make. Seriously, it can be done in about 15-20 mins and is super easy. Also, it only takes up one pot and one pan. You cook the couscous in a separate pot, and everything else gets cooked in a large skillet, so very little cleanup. I took/stole this from a recipe book called, "The Food You Crave" and it contains less than 500 calories, leaving you plenty of calories left over for wine :) I would serve with Merlot or Cab Sav.

Ingredients:
olive oil (enough to heat up in the pan, about 3 Tablespoons)
2-4 chicken breasts, pounded and thin enough to brown on both sides
1/4 teaspoon of salt, and more for taste
1/4 teaspoon of ground black pepper and more for taste
Tablespoon of minced garlic (or for the true foodie, 3 cloves minced)
8 cups of baby spinach (or roughly one package)
2 Tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon of sugar
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup canned chopped tomatoes (I like the ones with garlic, oregano already added)
1 package of whole wheat couscous (I like the Mediterranean olive oil option), about 2 cups cooked
*leftover red wine or whatever you plan on drinking that night (optional)
*a few teaspoons of flour (optional for thickness)

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in large skillet at med. heat. Season the chicken with pepper and salt (and some cayenne or paprika if its around). Add to the pan and brown on both sides or else have a pretty boy do it for you :P (about 6 mins). When finished put on plate and cover with tin foil to keep warm
2. Put 1 Tablespoon of olive oil back in pan and throw in the garlic to brown (about 1 min). After garlic is browned, throw in the baby spinach and cook until slightly wilted (about 1-2 mins), but be careful because if it wilts too much it will be soggy. Season with salt and pepper, put in bowl and set aside.
3. Make the couscous from the package in a separate pot.
4. Add the vinegar, broth, and tomatoes to the pan and stir making sure to get the bits of flavor off the bottom. Add in the sugar (it cuts the acidity of the tomatoes and vinegar, but if you liek it acidy, then no sugar for you!). Let bubble a min or two, then bring down to a simmer while occasionally stirring. Let the sauce thicken for a bit, about 5 mins. If it is too runny for you, throw in some flour until desired thickness is reached.
5. Put 1/2-1 cup of couscous on bottom of plate, cover with some spinach, then top with the chicken. Spoon the sauce over the whole thing and ta da, dinner!

No soundtrack for tonight, but if I could have chosen it would have been Better than Ezra for sure!

Pumpkin Cranberry Bread

This is one of those recipes my mother would kill me if she found out I shared. I don't know why, but there are only a handful of recipes my mother has deemed "not shareable," yet luckily for you, I don't ever abide by this rule. This is one of those, the weather is cool, its almost thanksgiving/the holiday season, and I need to start making things to bring as treats to various work/school functions. Its simple, you can make a ton of loaves at once, and if you get one of those intricate loaf pans with the ivy and holly over it, everyone will be amazed at your baking capabilities.

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice (OR 1/2 nutmeg, 2 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup veggie oil (my mother uses Mazola right blend, but I have no idea what this consists of, nor where to get it, but if you see it, get it)
1 cup solid pack pumpkin (DO NOT use pumpkin pie filling. Its not the same). You can also make your own from scratch by cooking the pumpkin meat in the over on a low heat, then putting it in the food processor, but its very time consuming.
1 cup fresh cranberries, chopped (by a machine, don't chop yourself, its exhausting and unnecessary)
powdered sugar (optional)
*intricately laced bread loaves (also optional)

Directions: (preheating at 350)
1. In a large mixing bowl, mix flour baking soda, salt & spice (until everything's nice...hehehe). Set aside.
2. In a small mixing bowl, mix eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin
3. Make a well (that's right, a volcano crater, if you will) in the flour mix & pour wet ingredients into well. Stir until dry ingredients are moistened.
4. Fold in the cranberries
5. Spoon batter in 2 greased & floured loaf pans (or one bunt pan)
6. Bake in preheated over at 350 for 50-60 mins, or as my mother calls it, "its toothpick clean." For those unaware, if you slide a knife or toothpick in the center of the bread it should come out clean, if not, it isn't done yet)
7. Let cool for 10 mins before taking out of the pan, BUT when it is still warm so it can slide out easily.
8. Sift powdered sugar over the top, and viola!

Liquid Smokin' Turkey Burgers

This is named after a quote from one of the recipes I pillaged from which stated, "if you don't have mesquite seasoning, go ahead and use liquid smoke," as if liquid smoke is so plentiful in all our kitchens, specifically in a kitchen that is so sparse as to not have any kind of BBQ seasons in it, that we can substitute accordingly. This is fast, easy and you can pretty much sub out any of the main ingredients and still be ok (except the meat. That part is somewhat vital to the burger process).

Here is my man cooking over the hot stove. He's very excited about our endeavor, if you couldn't tell. Since I actually refuse to touch any form of raw meat, therefore Ry is put in charge of the cutting, mushing, and grilling of said meat. So credit given to one, Ryan H. A 9 rating by the way. I'm a little proud.



Ingredients:
1 lb of ground turkey (or chicken if you like)
1 jalepeno or red pepper, de-seeded and chopped
1/4 red onion diced
red pepper flakes to taste
1 Tablespoon of minced onion
1 Tablespoon of garlic powder
1 egg
2 Tablespoons of BBQ sauce
1 packet of mesquite seasoning (or if you happen to magically have liquid smoke in the cupboard, I am impressed, go ahead and use that and give yourself a gold star from me!)
1/2 cup of breadcrumbs (optional)
salt and pepper to taste (I like a LOT of crushed black pepper)
4-5 leaves of garlic chives (optional. I had them in the garden, so I used it)
2-4 slices of pepper jack cheese (or packet of shredded cheddar if you don't like pepper jack)

The fixins:
tomato
lettuce
BBQ sauce
...and don't forget the buns, or you'll be like me and have to send your angel of a boyfriend out to get some

Directions, and here's the easy part:
1. Dump everything into a bowl and mush together (with the exception of the jack cheese, unless you wish to tear up in pieces and have melt in the meat, which also is good)! There's probably a right order, but seeing as I don't have time or patience for it, I don't bother so you shouldn't either.

2. Throw on the grill and cook until done. I would guess about 5 mins on each side. When you are 2-3 mins from done, toss the cheese on there so it gets all melty and nice. That's it! Piece of cake! Speaking of which...


****DESSERT BONUS*******

Drunken Strawberries

This is kind of cheap since I am going to make it, but haven't made it yet, but I'll write and let you know how it is!

Ingredients:
1/2 bar Dark chocolate (I mean the real stuff with 70% cocoa)
Leftover wine (doesn't matter if its red or white, depends on your mood). I would recommend a Merlot or a Zinfendel.
Fresh strawberries (or peaches, or whatever is in season)
Vanilla bean ice cream (again, the good stuff with the beans inside! no cheating!)

Directions:
1. Slice up some strawberries and let chill in the freezer while you make the sauce.
2. Melt the chocolate in the pan on low/med heat. make sure to use a chocolate melter or a nonstick pan because cleanup will be awful otherwise.
3. When the chocolate is done melting but before it starts to bubble, pour in the wine. I don't know the exact measurement, but until you reach the thickness you desire. I would say no more than about 1/2-1 cup. You want it to be creamy, not liquid.
4. Take off heat and let cool until it reaches just a touch warmer than room temp.
5. Place cooled strawberries over ice cream, then spoon sauce over everything. Drink rest of wine and watch strawberries become complacent with life :)

My Mom's Chicken Enchiladas (with a little of my own flair!)

Earlier this week, I asked Jamie what she wanted for dinner this week. Without any hesitation, she told me, "Chicken Enchiladas!" I made my mom's chicken enchiladas for her a few years back, and every since then, they have been one of her absolute favorite meals I make. My mom's enchiladas are different from most enchilada recipes because they have a sour cream sauce instead of a chili powder based sauce. The flavors of the chicken, onions, cheese, and sour cream marry so well in this dish. And of course, it is very fast and easy to make!



Chicken Enchiladas



2 cans cooked chicken, drained (or 2 chicken breasts cooked and shredded)
1 small vidalia onion, finely chopped (or whatever onion is your favorite)
minced garlic
cumin
chili powder
butter
flour
can of chicken broth
8 oz container sour cream
tortillas (the larger variety)
bag of shredded cheese, mexican blend



1. Warm up a medium or large skillet over medium high. Throw in your onion and garlic, sauteing a little. Add in the chicken, and then throw in some spices to taste. Saute until onions are tender and all meat is covered in spice. Remove from heat and let cool.



2. Start a roux in a medium saucepan. I can never remember the exact measurements my mom gave me, so last night I just melted 2 tablespoons of butter and then added 1 tablespoon of flour. Let that cook for a minute or two to cook out the flour flavor, and then pour in the can of chicken broth. Lower heat to medium and allow mixture to simmer, stirring continuously. The sauce will begin to thicken as you stir. After about 5 minutes or until it seems like your sauce is not getting any thicker, remove from heat and add in the container of sour cream. Whisk the sour cream into the sauce until the sauce is smooth.




3. Preheat oven to 350. Drizzle a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of a 13x9x2 casserole dish. Add almost the whole bag of cheese to the chicken mixture, saving enough to sprinkle on top of the enchiladas later. Now, its time to get messy! Lay a tortilla in the casserole dish. Add a substantial amount of the chicken and cheese mixture down the center of the tortilla, roll up the tortilla, add push it all the way to one side of your dish. Repeat this process until you run out of chicken (last night I was able to make 8 enchiladas). Once you are done rolling your enchiladas, pour the rest of the sour cream sauce over the enchiladas, cover with aluminum foil, and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes. Pull out the enchiladas, take off the foil, sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top, and put back in the oven for 5 minutes. Let the enchiladas sit for about 5 minutes after they are done, and then enjoy!!

9.5 Chicken Parm

This is not necessarily my most coveted (its no Summer Chili), but it has been ranked 9.5 on a 10-point scale by 2nd Lt. Heilmann himself. I like it because it is easy and if you happen to have the Italian staples most kitchens have like tomatoes, chicken, bread crumbs, etc. its easy. It's also really easy to mix with your personality. I'm personally not a creamy sauce person, I'm a tomato person (at some point I will post the are you a cream or tomato person quiz on here, but for now I bet you can guess what you are), but this can be altered no matter what you like. I must give a warning, I couldn't remember exactly how I made it the first time because I tend to use whatever ingredient is in the cupboard, regardless of the directions, so feel free to tweak and tell me what worked!

Takes about an hr to make (If choosing baking option, do the chicken first and make the sauce while the chicken is baking to save time).

Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts (hopefully from more than one chicken)
2 eggs (or egg whites if you want to be healthy)
2 cups (really an estimate, whatever you need to cover the chicken) of Italian bread crumbs
1 jar of Diablo pasta sauce (or whatever you happen to have leftover in the fridge)
small package of high end mozzarella cheese, the soft, solid kind (optional for the cheesy types)
package of shredded Parmesan cheese
container of fresh powdery, grated Parmesan cheese
1 can of diced tomatoes (I like the one with oregano, onion, and garlic)
1 red onion
small container of heavy cream (REAL cream, people! also optional for creamy people)
1 Tablespoon butter
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon of sugar
1 Tablespoon of oregano
*any other generic Italian seasonings you can find in your spice rack

Directions: This recipes comes with two options. One for baking and one for frying. Option A I like infinitely better, but like I said its all about personal taste, so if you like baking (and or didn't go to the gym today), go for baking.

1. Melt butter in sauce pan on medium heat. Stir in garlic and onion until garlic is browned and onion in translucent (about 3 mins). Pour in diced tomatoes and sugar and let simmer. Add in some tomato sauce (amount varies on how thick or thin you want the sauce, I would say a few oz. should be good). Continue to simmer for 10 minutes. Creamy people should add in a few tablespoons of the cream until desired creaminess has occurred. DON'T use the whole container, only a few oz at the most or you won't taste the tomato anymore. Put top on and keep warm while prepping the chicken.
2. Stir together bread crumbs, oregano, Italian spices, grated Parmesan in dipping bowl
3. Different dipping bowl fork the eggs and a bit of milk if you have it.
4. Pound the chicken and cut off excess fat. Dip the chicken breasts in the egg mixture to coat, then in the bread crumb mixture until fully coated.

Option A (frying):
5a. Heat oil in pan on medium-high heat. Add coated chicken and cook on both sides until brown (about 10 mins per side). Turn oven on to preheat at 350

Option B (baking):
5b. Place coated chicken in a baking dish and cook for 40 mins at 350 degrees

6. Put chicken in baking dish, if you haven't already, and cover liberally with warm sauce from stove. Top with shredded Parmesan, and mozzarella if you chose to use it. Let cook for 20 mins or until the cheese is melted.
7. (optional) serve with penne pasta on the side

Serve and enjoy!

Intro Part III

I never learned how to cook. Not really, anyway. It seems surprising considering my mother is probably one of the best cooks on the planet. She owned her own chocolate shop with my father for over a decade, and I was raised in the back of it until I was four or five. Yet, she has the issue of not allowing things to be done incorrectly, thus my entire childhood if we wanted to help, we would start something and she would subsequently take over. Nothing chopped, stirred, or blanched well enough because she could always do it better. This leads one to believe they have a certain amount of deficiencies in the kitchen area. Even if we wanted to make something for ourselves it was impossible because the kitchen was not kept in any kind of intuitive order. If you wanted to find the lemon extract or a strainer you would search in every cabinet for at least 10 minutes only to get pots and overstuffed cans dropped on your toes before giving up and asking Mom in the end anyway. She would then ask what you were making, then proceed to tell you how you didn't really need to the lemon extract, you really wanted almond and it was in the corner shelf behind the bread or possibly next to the milk in the fridge for some odd known reason. Then it would become a treasure hunt with Mom and eventually she would be using a completely different set of ingredients (usually of the things that we found along the way that "would work") and ultimately she would be making an alteration of whatever recipe you began with. Grilled cheese would turn into grilled provolone with tomatoes and mustard seed. Plain brownies would become chocolate chip ganache cake. So eventually, my brother and I took the hint and got out of the kitchen, however we became wonderful table setters and can clean any dish no matter the grime!

Then I moved away to college and kept within my small realm of George Foreman grill and crock pot cooking. I didn't eat meat so there was no need to learn, and salad is pretty self-explanatory. Then I had an earth-shattering, soul-searching breakdown and moved to Ireland. I just so happened to end up in a house of 5 lovely housemates with the following background: a culinary student, a botinist with access to thousands of herbs and flowers, a worldwide traveler who lived on her own organic farm, and a Frenchie. Over the next few months I learned how to do the simplest dishes like pancakes and chicken to more complex and exotic cooking like Indian spiced curry, Jamaican cook, and finally, meat. It was a lovely time to be able to screw up, mix stuff together and learn with friends, so I came home finding more fun and life in the kitchen.

Now, I usually have the confidence to stick to my guns when cooking in my mother's kitchen. Since I still live at home its sometimes a struggle, but I find it fun to share recipes and make stuff up as you go along. I have learned that nearly everything can be salvaged (at the very least with some ketchup or hot sauce), and there's no ingredient that goes unused in a kitchen. One day I hope to have my own kitchen to work in, but for now, cooking with the girls is going to be the best!

Super Easy Chicken and Roasted Garlic Risotto

I've been meaning to post this recipe for a while, but life got in the way. Now, it's a great follow up to Mel's last recipe. You can slave away making fabulous asparagus risotto, complete with music and wine, and then make this super easy, but equally delicious fake risotto meal. Jamie (my adopted sister and roommate, for those who do not know) nearly died when she had this meal, she loved it so much. And unlike real risotto, which you literally have to stand over and stir the entire time, this meal is great for one of those nights when things are crazy and you are running all over the place because you pretty much throw everything together and let it all simmer. And the added bonus is that its a one pan meal!

Chicken & Roasted Garlic Risotto

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (I just used 2 chicken breasts, but if you are making this for more than 2 people, go ahead and use the 4 halves)
1 tbsp butter or olive oil
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom with roasted garlic soup
2 cups water
2 cups uncooked instant white rice
1 cup frozen peas

1. Season the chicken as desired. Heat the buttter or oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the chicken and cook for 10 minutes or until it's well browned on both sides. Remove chicken from the skillet.

2. Stir the soups and water in the skillet and heat to a boil. Stir in the rice and peas, and return chicken to the skillet. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook 5-10 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and the rice feels tender. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes.

And in 30 minutes, you have delicious, full flavored chicken and risotto! This recipe is perfect for those nights when you really want risotto but don't want to slave over the stove all night. Enjoy!!

Asparagus Risotto

Risotto. Risotto is a bitch. I won't lie. It's intensive, must be coddled the entire time you're cooking, and can pretty much serve as the best reminder you'll ever have as to why you shouldn't go back to your clingy, but gorgeous ex-girlfriend from college. The results, however, can be pure ecstasy if all is done correctly. (Also like your clingy, but gorgeous ex from college. Great metaphor.)

So, you're going to need calming music to help you get through this process. I thought a mixture of Wilco, The Album Leaf, and Joseph Arthur would do nicely.

http://8tracks.com/ihla/bring-it-down

For the risotto you will need:

1 cup arborio rice

1 lb. Peruvian asparagus, chopped

1/2 Vidalia sweet onion, chopped

1 cup of fresh grated parmesan

2-3 tbsp. butter or butter substitute

Extra virgin olive oil

About 6-8 cups of chicken broth/ stock (This generally equals out to 3/4 of a box of broth...)

You should start by cooking the vegetables first. This isn't a time sucking procedure, but you're going to be too busy with your risotto to do anything else once you start it.

Rinse, peel, and chop half of a sweet Vidalia onion, and add it to a shallow skillet. Rinse and chop your asparagus into 1/2 inch to an inch pieces. Add those pieces to your onion in the skillet, and drizzle the mixture with olive oil. Saute the mixture for about 15 minutes, or until the onion becomes translucent and the asparagus takes on a bright, vivid green. Turn the heat off, and set the mixture to the side. You will add it with the last of your chicken broth to your risotto.

And, now, we come to the risotto. Deep breaths, you should be at "Honey and the Moon" by now. Start by melting the butter over medium heat in a deep skillet. Add your arborio rice, mix, and brown for about 10 minutes with constant stirring so you don't burn the rice. Turn down your stove to about medium low, and add 1/2 cup of chicken broth (it should be warm, or, at the very least, room temperature) and stir consistently until the broth is almost fully taken up by the rice. That's the trick with risotto, you never want it to be completely dry, but you also don't want to overwhelm the rice with liquid, either. Repeat this procedure until the risotto has taken on a creamy consistency and the rice itself is al dente. Add a 1/4 cup of chicken broth with your vegetables to the risotto, mix well, and turn the heat off. Add 1 cup of fresh grated parmesan to the risotto, mix well, and serve. You now have a perfectly respectable side dish.

Depending on what you use for a main dish (i.e., your meat) you can go either way with wine pairings. I generally pair this side dish with chicken marsala, so I go for a red zinfandel (7 Deadly Zins is out of control amazing). It's a bit heady, but the flavors remain bold and pop nicely.

Chicken Noodle Soup in Under Three Hours

Whenever I don't feel well, I start to crave things my mother used to cook for me when I didn't feel well as a child. (To be fair, if I ever asked her to cook something now, she'd probably make enough for twenty and just tell me to, "Freeze what you can't eat, honey. It'll keep for months in the freezer." Yes, in fact, my mother is amazing.)

Tonight was one of those nights where I felt like crap, and actually had a crazy craving for chicken noodle soup. I don't think Progresso is real food, and I've grown out of Campbell's, so it was time to hit the kitchen, even in my weakened state.

I rarely deal in exact amounts and, I'm always experimenting with little things, but here's the basics of what you'll need:

3-4 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts

3-4 Tablespoons of minced garlic

4 stalks of celery, chopped

1/2 of a Sweet Vidalia onion, chopped

4 carrots (or 1/2 bag of baby carrots), chopped

1/2 a bag of medium width egg noodles, cooked

Chicken broth (which can be made from bouillon or you can buy pre-made. I use both.)

Lemon juice (no more than a few tablespoons)

Extra virgin olive oil

The spice rack tonight:

Grinder pepper

Grinder sea salt

Basil

Oregano

Tarragon

Rosemary

Roasted garlic (Granules or powder will work, but I like to have mine set-up in a grinder.)

First, we'll start out with the chicken. Pre-heat your oven to 415 degrees Fahrenheit. Set-up your chicken breasts in an oven safe baking dish side by side, and stab them with a fork several times. This can be as violent or as normal as possible. (This is an excellent time to note that cooking can be very therapeutic.) Squirt lemon juice over the breasts, until you feel like they all have a nice sheen of lemon, but not to the point where juice pools largely in your dish. Drizzle about a tsp. of extra virgin olive oil over each chicken breast and spread the oil around over the tops. Now you can start seasoning the chicken, with the oil acting as a great glue for your seasonings. Tonight, I topped my chicken with fresh cracked pepper, oregano, basil, rosemary, roasted garlic, and just the lightest amount of fresh cracked sea salt. Leave your dish uncovered and throw it in the oven for 30-45 minutes, or until the tops of the chicken look nicely browned.

While the chicken is cooking, chop and cook your veggies. I stick with the 1:1 ratio between the carrots and the celery as well as only using 1/2 a Vidalia onion. Add the chopped vegetables to a deep skillet, drizzle some olive oil over them, and spice them with tarragon (You don't need a lot of tarragon. It's a very potent herb, so about 5-6 pinches will do), fresh ground pepper, basil, oregano, and finish it off with a dash of salt. Mix it all up, so that the oil and the spices really cover your vegetables.

Turn your stove to 'sauté' (on a gas stove this is about medium), and saute the vegetables for about 15 minutes, or until they cook down to a suitable volume. At this point, you can add about a cup of chicken broth, turn the heat down a bit (medium low), and let the veggies simmer while it also forms the base of your stock. About every 10 minutes add another cup of broth until you've added 6 cups.

Your chicken should be done cooking by now and needs to be sliced and diced, quite literally. Cut up your chicken into chunks, and add the chicken to your vegetables and broth, turning down the whole mixture to low. Your pan should be pretty full by now.

The final step is to cook the egg noodles. Once the noodles are cooked to your liking, drain them, and add them to your chicken, vegetables, and broth. You now have chicken noodle soup. I like to add fresh grated parmesan to the top.

Tonight, I gave over the soundtracking reigns to Cameron Crowe, "Elizabethtown", and comfort movies, and because I was a bit sick, I went with Gatorade instead of chardonnay. (If you were to pair it with a chardonnay, try the Smoking Loon. It's light and won't overpower the soup or your wallet.) Curl up in your favorite place, and enjoy.