Chicken Noodle Soup

Sorry, I made this and forgot to take the picture. Cydney asked me for this recipe a little while ago and since it has been cold, I thought it would be a nice one to add. I made homemade chicken noodle soup (except I used dried egg noodles--yuck) for the first time when I was teenager and it was one of the first times I realized that homemade is SO much better then from a can or box. I have kind of been tinkering with this recipe ever since. It is pretty basic and easy to make--what most people might say "just like my mom's", but well, since my mom doesnt really cook...it is what I imagine this comfort food should be like.

Chicken Noodle Soup
1 medium onion, chopped
olive oil
1-2 carrots, peeled and diced
1-2 celery, peeled and diced
corn (optional--I will to add it sometimes)
thyme
pepper
bay leaf
2 chicken breasts
6-8 cups chicken broth

For noodles:
1 cup flour
1 egg
1/4 tsp salt

Mix together until crumbly. Add about 1/4 water, until you can make a dough. Roll out and cut into noodles Heat olive oil and sautee onions. Add everything else except noodles and boil about 15-20, until chicken breasts are cooked. Take out chicken and dice it, put it back in. Remove bay leaf. Bring back to boil. SLowly add in noodles until cooked. Adjust seasons-eat.

Thanksgiving PUNCH

wanna punch your friends and relatives this thanksgiving?
here's a yummy-sounding recipe from the National Honey Board:

Holiday Party Punch

2 cups boiling water
3/4 cup honey
4 cups cranberry juice
2 cups orange juice
1 cup lemon juice
1 quart ginger ale
ice cubes
sliced citrus fruit for garnish (optional)

Combine boiling water and honey, stirring to dissolve. Chill. In large punch bowl, combine cranberry, orange, and lemon juices. Stir in honey mixture. Just before serving, add ginger ale, ice cubes, and fruit garnish. Makes about 12 servings. (13 cups, or about 3 quarts)

Chicken Enchiladas with Pumpkin Sauce

Again, no photo. Sorry to continue the trend, but it was sooo yummy BOTH times we made it that it was halfway devoured before taking a photo even crossed my mind. I marked several places in the recipe with an asterix indicating changes I made. They are all listed after the recipe.

1/2 roast or rotisserie chicken, skin removed, meat shredded*
6 scallions, thinly sliced
salt and pepper
1 15 oz can pumpkin puree
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 jalapeno chile, quartered, remove ribs and seeds for less heat, if desired*
1 tsp chili powder
10 corn tortillas (6 inch)
1 1/2 cups grated sharp white cheddar

Preheat oven to 425. In a medium bowl, combine chicken and scallions. Season generously with salt and pepper; set aside.

In a blender, puree the pumpkin, garlic, jalapeno, chili powder, 2 1/2 cups water, 2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper until smooth. Pour 1 cup of the sauce in the bottom of a 2 quart baking dish.

Wrap tortillas in a damp dishtowel and microwave for 1-2 minutes until they are soft enough to roll without cracking or tearing. (Keep the stack covered as you work) Lay one tortilla at a time on a work surface; mound the chicken mixture on half of each tortilla and roll up into a tight log; place seam side down in the sauce in the baking dish.

Pour the remaining sauce* on top; sprinkle with cheese. Place the dish on a baking sheet; bake until cheese is golden and sauce is bubbling, 25-30 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.*

*I used chicken breasts that I had cooked and shredded in the crockpot.
*Instead of jalapeno, I used 1 can of green chiles because I like the flavor better (half in the sauce, and half mixed with the chicken.) I also added a few crushed red pepper flakes to the sauce for heat.
*There is no way all this sauce is fitting in with the enchiladas without overflowing. I save what's left (a cup or so), heat it in the microwave and serve it with the enchiladas as an extra topping.
*These are so yummy topped with shredded lettuce, sour cream, and chile verde sauce. Maybe a dash of Tapatio hot sauce for extra zing.

This is the best mexican food in New Jersey. :)