MPM & Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

MONDAY: Baked Tilapia, Steamed Veggies, Chunky Apples
TUESDAY: Birthday Dinner for 12 year old! His picks: Shepherds Pie, Raw Carrots, Pickle Wraps, Oreo Ice-Cream Cake
WEDNESDAY: Grilled Hamburgers, Homemade WW Buns, Broccoli and Bacon Bake
THURSDAY:Away BB Game, eating out
FRIDAY: Chicken Noodle Soup (recipe below), Fresh Dinner Rolls
SATURDAY: Homemade Pizza, Chips & Salsa
SUNDAY: Cowboy Beans

*I cook everything by scratch and serve a green salad and raw fruit/veggies at each meal.

Chicken Noodle Soup
Season whole chicken with any or all of the following: sage, thyme, marjoram, poultry seasoning, pepper. Bake {I put mine in frozen} chicken at 350* for 4 -6 hours, depending on it's weight, until it looks like this.
If your chicken isn't frozen, reduce baking time to approximately 2 hours. Baking time will vary depending on weight.

De-bone and dice.
Set 3- 4 cups aside for soup and freeze the extra (in chicken juices) for future use.

Make broth out of Better than Bullion and 4 quarts water, following directions to reconstitute on the jar.

Prepare the following:
(all amounts and vegetable can be varied according to your desire)

Simmer in broth until tender:

1 1/2 cups thinly sliced carrots
2 stalks celery, diced

Add:
1 cup corn
1 cup cut green beans

Pour into crock-pot.

Or place broth in a large crock-pot and add a bag of mixed frozen vegetables.

To broth and vegetables, add:
1 tsp basil
3/4 tsp poultry seasoning (I seem to run out of poultry seasoning quite often, so I normally use a combination of 1/4 tsp each of: thyme, sage and marjoram)
1/2 tsp pepper
1 T dried parsley
1 T chives
1/4 tsp pepper

*I typically use about 1 1/2 times the amount on the spices for our family, we like things well seasoned.

Add diced chicken to the broth/vegetables.
Cook for 3 -4 hours in the crock pot on low, this helps blend the flavors.

About 20 minutes before serving, boil approximately 8 oz of noodles in water with a better than bullion added to the pot.

Scoop noodles out of water and put into crock-pot. Add extra noodle broth if your soup is too thick.

Add salt to taste.

NOTES:

• Don't let the noodles cook too long in the crock-pot. They will get mushy.
• We like our soup very thick. If you like more broth than filling, cut back on the ingredients or add more broth.
• I normally use raw carrots, and a mixture of vegetables I have in the freezer from last years harvest. However, a bag of frozen veggies from the store works great as well. Plus, it is a lot quicker :)
• I use whole wheat noodles.

MakeADifferenceMonday
Several Monday's ago, I talked with my children about blessing others, explaining to them that God expects us to serve those around us, regardless of their age, race, abilities... Each week, I am requiring them to go out of their way to serve someone. At times, this service will be unknown, other times it will be obvious.
I too, hope to become more aware of those around me. I hope the actions of my husband and I are noticeable in my childrens eyes so we can be an example to them.


1- 24-11
While snowboarding, my oldest went out of his way to help a little girl who was having a hard time on her skies. The other children have been great at noticing what my husband and I are doing and asking if they can help us. I have also 'caught' them holding doors for others :) I still remind them daily to be aware of others needs, but I can tell they are gaining awareness of the needs of those around them!

Black Bean Soup

My new favorite soup.

1 med onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1-3 T Cumin (I like cumin, recipes says 1, I put in 3)

2 T oil

3 - 16 oz cans black beans (I cook my own; soak overnight, drain, then cook in the crock pot or for a faster cooking method I simmer approx 1 hour in triple the water)

1 - 14.5 oz can chicken or vegetable broth (I use more like 24-32 oz, most likely because I normally use more beans)

1 - 16 oz jar salsa, spiciness of your choice

1 -2 cups frozen corn with liquid (my addition, I use the corn we freeze in the summer)

salt and pepper to taste

*In a large stock pot, sauté onion, garlic and cumin in oil until soft. Blend 1 can beans (in liquid) and 1/2 of the broth in a blender until pureed. Add blended beans to the sautéd onion mixture. Repeat with 2nd can of beans. Add to pot. Add remaining can whole beans and salsa to pot. Bring to a boil and boil on med/high heat for a few minutes. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir constantly to prevent scorching.

Serve with fresh cilantro, sour cream, and chips.

Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

New Recipe #3

Well, I started out thinking this would be a flop. However by the time I was done tasting, adding and tasting some more, I really liked it!
Therefore, the recipe is a little bit of a 'dump' recipe. Here it is.

• 2-3 lg chicken breasts diced and cooked
• 2 small onions diced and sauteed until clear
• 1/2 - 1 cup uncooked brown and wild rice simmered in chicken broth, per directions for the amount of rice you are using, for 25 minutes (it will not be done yet)
• 32 ounces chicken broth
• 24 ounces mushroom broth
• 2 cups milk (the high fat the creamier your soup will be) thickened with 2-3 T thickener (my favorite thickener is Culinary Secrets from King Arthur Flour)
  
• black pepper and salt (I used a lot of pepper)
  
• 2 - 4 tsp Rosemary
• 1 T Garlic Powder
  
• 2-3 tsp Cilantro
• 1-3 tsp Poultry Seasoning
• 1/4 dried bell peppers
• 2 cups frozen mixed carrots, peas and corn

Put in crockpot on low for 5-7 hours. Stir occasionally so it doesn't burn on the sides.