Chicken Noodle Soup

November 4, 2010

For the last few months I’ve been  making hearty fall dishes, even though outside it still felt like summer. But today it’s dark and rainy and cold. So soup feels just right. I’ll admit that this dish isn’t weeknight material (unless you do the prep ahead of time). It’s a little fussy, considering you have to boil, strain, cool, and skim the stock. But making the stock from scratch is what makes it so wonderful. Once that step is done, the rest is simple.

This is your quintessential chicken soup. No special ingredients, no frills. Made with tender shredded chicken and classic egg noodles. But I’m sure you could easily add to it. Throw in a few extra vegetables. Try a different type of pasta or substitute rice. This base recipe is fool-proof. It’s now my go-to chicken noodle soup.

Chicken Noodle Soup

INGREDIENTS

Chicken Stock:
1 whole chicken (about 3 lbs.), giblets discarded
2 carrots, cut into large chunks
3 celery stalks, cut into large chunks
2 large onions, quartered
1 head of garlic, halved
1 turnip, halved
1/4 bunch fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. whole black peppercorns
kosher salt

Chicken Noodle Soup:
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, thinly sliced (I used 3)
2 celery sticks, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
2 quarts (8 cups) chicken stock (recipe above)
6 oz. whole wheat wide egg noodles
2-3 cups cooked chicken, shredded (I used all the meat from the chicken)
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
fresh parsley, finely chopped for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. To prepare the stock, place the chicken and vegetables in a large stockpot over medium heat. Pour in only enough cold water to cover (about 3 quarts or 12 cups); too much will make the broth taste weak. Toss in the thyme, bay leaves, peppercorns, and a dash of salt, and allow it to slowly come to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and gently simmer for 45 minutes- 1 hour (depending on the size of your chicken), partially covered, until the chicken is done. As it cooks, skim any impurities that rise to the surface; add a little more water if necessary to keep the chicken covered while simmering.

2. Carefully remove the chicken to a cutting board. When its cool enough to handle, discard the skin and bones; hand-shred the meat into a storage container.

3. Carefully strain the stock through a fine sieve into another pot to remove the vegetable solids. Use the stock immediately or if you plan on storing it, cool before covering and refrigerating it for up to one week or freeze.

4. To prepare the soup, place a large 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, or until tender. Fold in the chicken, and continue to simmer for another couple of minutes to heat through; season with salt and pepper to taste. (This is when I removed the bay leaf and sprigs of thyme.) Sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.

Serves 4-6.

(Adapted from Food Network)

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Roasted Butternut Squash, Caramelized Onion, and Rosemary Pizza

October 11, 2010

I managed to get all of my clothes on right-side-out this weekend, but apparently my streak of embarrassment isn’t over! On Saturday evening we met my family in Charlottesville to go apple picking, which was followed by dinner and walking around UVA enjoying the uncharacteristically warm fall. We left after dark and returned to Richmond for the night. On our way out the front door Sunday morning we were greeted by our car eagerly flashing its emergency lights! At first I thought our little blue civic might have magical powers or that one of the neighborhood cats had set it off. But then we remembered. We had pulled over on the side of the road for a moment the night before, responsibly turned on the blinkers, and then forgot to shut them off. We made the entire hour-long drive home with our emergency lights blaring and not realized it. We then parked our car in front of our house, got ready for bed, and slept soundly all the while our emergency lights flashed on through the night. So if you happened to pass us on Route 64, or drive by our house that night, be assured that there was no emergency. Just us, having a little too much fun blasting club music to notice something silly like that.

I did make it home with 30 lbs. of apples. You know what that means. Apples in everything…! But for now, enjoy one of my other favorite foods of fall- roasted butternut squash. On a pizza no less. With sweet caramelized red onions, fresh rosemary, and sharp Parmesan and Asiago. It’s wonderful.

Roasted Butternut Squash, Caramelized Onion, and Rosemary Pizza

INGREDIENTS

1 recipe pizza dough
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
fresh rosemary, chopped
Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly grated
Asiago, freshly grated

Roasted Butternut Squash:
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

Caramelized Onions:
2 red onions
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare pizza dough according to recipe directions.

2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425 F. In a large bowl, toss to coat squash and garlic with olive oil. Season with kosher salt and pepper. Spread in an even layer on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Roast in preheated oven for 25 minutes, turning occasionally, until tender and golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

3. To caramelize the onions, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and stir to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are soft and caramelized, 30-40 minutes.

4. Preheat oven and pizza stone to 450 F. Brush the prepared crust with the remaining Tbsp. of olive oil. Sprinkle with a little cheese. Distribute the roasted squash and caramelized onions over the crust. Sprinkle with the freshly chopped rosemary, Parmesan, and Asiago.

5. Bake in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, until the crust is puffed and golden brown and the cheese has melted. Remove from the oven and let cool several minutes before slicing.

Makes 1 large pizza.

(Adapted from All Recipes)

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Pasta with Sausage and Tomato Cream Sauce

October 3, 2010

I’ve had a sudden craving for creamy cheesy Italian pasta dishes. Maybe it’s because the weather is turning cold and suddenly a steaming plate of pasta hits the spot. All I know is that Dustin, who has been a pasta-lover all along, is thrilled with my new obsession. I’ve accumulated a pile of pasta recipes much like this one. So get yourselves ready for a pasta-full fall!

I appreciated the simplicity of this dish. Sauteed sausage, onion, and garlic, simmered with tomatoes and cream, poured over a pot of al dente pasta, and finished off with fresh basil and Parmesan. Even though it’s not complicated it’s full of rich flavors.  As usual, I was trying to be health-conscious when I made this dinner and made several alterations to suit my needs. I’ve listed the options for you below.

Pasta with Sausage and Tomato Cream Sauce

INGREDIENTS

1 lb. whole wheat pasta
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
3/4 lb. Italian pork sausage (or turkey or chicken sausage)
1/2 tsp. dried crushed red pepper
1 cup onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
28 oz. can crushed tomatoes (San Marzano recommended)
1/2 cup half and half (heavy cream if you’re feeling indulgent)
1/4 cup fresh basil, julienned
1/2 cup Parmigiano Regiano, freshly grated (more to taste)

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente.

2. Meanwhile, preheat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and red pepper flakes and cook until no longer pink. Add the onion and garlic. Saute until the onion is soft and the sausage is browned. Stir in the tomatoes and cream. Simmer for several minutes until slightly thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Drain the pasta, reserving some of the pasta water. Add the pasta to the sauce and toss. Thin with a little pasta water, if necessary. Top with a handful of freshly grated Parmesan and fresh basil and serve.

Serves 4-6.

(Adapted from Bon Appetit)

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Orange Rolls

September 22, 2010

I’ve drastically revised this recipe, so much of what I have written below no longer applies to these rolls. But I spent a lot of time back on April 7th 2009 writing that post so I didn’t want to delete it completely! This is the exact same dough (and directions) that I use to make cinnamon rolls. Just the filling and frosting are different. Instead of cinnamon, you get orange zest. Instead of milk and vanilla to thin and flavor the frosting, you get orange juice and almond extract. I’ve practically written a book about my love affair with these rolls (which you can read here). So I’ll leave it at this: they’re sensational.

4/7/09: I live for those rare occasions when we have cinnamon rolls (they are rare because if they weren’t I’d weight twice as much and have been hospitalized for sugar overdose by now). Diving into a pan of piping hot ooey gooey cinnamon buns drenched in creamy icing is what I call bliss. Unfortunately it is the type of pleasure that usually ends in regret… since I can’t seem to stop after just one, or two, or three…you get the point. I usually make myself sick from consuming copious amounts of soft cinnamon-y swirls. So why inflict such torture upon myself you ask? Because I’ll suffer (just about) anything for those first heavenly bites, and inevitably within a few days, maybe weeks, I’ll have forgotten the misery that accompanied my over-consumption and start dreaming of them again.

I had been off the buns for about 6 months when the urge returned. Eventually I’d have to include them on this blog, and so I got it in my head that it was time, I was ready to bake my next batch. But since I’m having a rather creative streak lately, I decided to try something new: Orange Rolls. I couldn’t find one recipe that I thought was satisfactory so I borrowed an idea from here and there and formulated my very own. The dough is very similar to (and could be used for) regular cinnamon rolls (minus my clever addition of orange zest). I spread a honey-butter (with more zest) filling over every inch of the rolled out dough. For the glaze, I used the juice from the same orange combined with powdered sugar. Be generous with the glaze. If you are in doubt, make more. My rolls were absolutely delicious, but I wish I’d used more glaze (I already adjusted the amount in the recipe). Also, be careful not to over bake them… the whole point of sticky buns is that they are soft and billowy. Honey was the perfect choice of filling… I’m elated that these turned out so well!

I made one pan with all-purpose flour and then a second with 100% white whole wheat flour. White flour guarantees a silky smooth texture, but the whole wheat weren’t bad at all. They were definitely more dense (and due to my neglecting the oven, a bit well done). And so I repeat: under cook! Even I figure it’s probably futile to try and make a healthy version of cinnamon or orange rolls. For the occasional treat, pure unadulterated white bread is a worthy indulgence. If you must have these more often though (say, as for breakfast instead of dessert) using whole wheat would be a good idea.

I’m happy to announce that these Honey Orange Rolls are so scrumptious that I had no trouble eating half the pan! I suggest having friends around to share them with (if you haven’t any friends, I’m sure random strangers will be willing to oblige, and no doubt will quickly become your friends).

Orange Rolls

INGREDIENTS

6-8 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. instant yeast
2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 eggs, whisked
2 1/4 cups warm milk

Filling:
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
zest of 2 oranges

Suggestion: Try adding sweetened dried cranberries to the filling. Haven’t tried it yet, but I think it would be chewy and delicious!

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
3 cups powdered sugar
6-8 Tbsp. freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 tsp. almond extract
pinch salt

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl combine 3 cups flour, yeast, salt, and sugar. Whisk to combine. Pour in wet ingredients (butter, eggs, and milk). Stir until it is a thick paste. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until it comes together into a ball.

2. Lightly flour a flat surface, and knead the dough, adding more flour to prevent sticking, 8-10 minutes, until smooth. Spray the inside of a bowl with cooking spray, place the dough inside, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

3. Punch down the dough and divide in half. Roll out each half into a large rectangle. Brush melted butter over the surface of the dough. Sprinkle with brown sugar and orange zest. Roll up lengthwise. Cut each log into 12 evenly sized pinwheels. Place into lightly greased 9×13 baking pans. Cover each pan and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

4. Preheat oven to 350 F. Bake rolls in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, until golden on top. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack.

5. While the rolls are baking, prepare the frosting. Beat the butter and cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy. Slowly add the orange juice, powdered sugar, almond extract, and salt. Beat until smooth. If the frosting is too thick, add more juice.

6. Pour frosting over the hot rolls, dividing it among the two pans. Serve warm.

Fills two 9×13 pans, about 24 rolls.
(Dough from my mom, Frosting from Tasty Kitchen)
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Cinnamon Rolls

September 21, 2010

Over the weekend I helped host a baby shower brunch for one of my best friends and the occasion called for cinnamon rolls. I’m not super clever at crafts or good at decorating, but I can bake. And I’m always happy to. It’s probably my favorite way to spend a weekend morning. Forget the gym or running errands, I’d rather hide in my kitchen and create irresistible aromas and tastes.

I’ve shared this recipe before, but this time I made a few changes. The dough is the same. Still easy and wonderful. But now I’m giving you topping options- icing or cream cheese frosting. Take your pick. I loved the thicker cream cheese frosting. Dustin made it clear that he preferred the old icing. No big deal. This recipe comes in pans of two, so next go ’round I’ll just make one each way!

1/2/10: Christmas morning called for cinnamon rolls. I knew the minute I rolled up my sleeves on Christmas Eve and set about making the dough that would become these buns, Christmas was destined to be a day of indulgences. Sugary-sweet fluffy white rolls drowning in vanilla icing…what a perfect breakfast. Problem is, one bun is never enough. As long as the pan of rolls remains on the counter I’ll be eating them. All day long! Lucky I had Dustin’s family to share them with (this isn’t the type of treat you should enjoy on your own-that would be dangerous)!

As I mentioned, I made the dough the night before. I’d never done this before. I hoped that if I used active dry yeast instead of instant, and stored the dough in the refrigerator overnight (during the first rise), it would be ready to roll out in the morning. The dough was already overflowing its bowl by bedtime so I gently punched it down, re-covered it, and wished for the best. I woke up bright and early Christmas morning (much before the rest of the house- I’m like a little kid when it comes to Christmas- I can’t sleep a wink!), tiptoed past the piles of presents, and into the kitchen to begin my work. I was slightly frightened to discover that the dough hadn’t risen at all since I’d slapped it the night before. Had I killed it? Wait. Don’t panic. I’ve got time- maybe it’ll warm up and rise. And I was right. Two or three hours later (after presents- it’s a long process in Dustin’s home) the rolls had risen to the top of the pan and were ready to be baked!

They turned out wonderful: browned on the tips, soft and chewy in the middle! As you might guess, they didn’t last long. Best enjoyed warm, with a large glass of milk, and a friend to share them with.

10/9/09: What is one of my absolute favorite foods ever? These are. They are the cinnamon buns my mom made us as kids. I love them. Because I am a breadaholic and because they are that good. Leave off the raisins, and Dustin loves them too. We all do! They’re light and fluffy on the inside and sweet and sticky in between the layers. I try to under cook them a little so they stay soft and gooey, and then smother them in a rich glaze. Please, eat them warm, right out of the pan. It’s an experience you can’t live without.

In the rare chance that you have leftovers (OK, this recipe does make 2 pan-fulls), freeze or refrigerate and then warm them up in the microwave. They’ll only keep for a day or two at room temperature. Someday I plan on making the frosting with cream cheese. Cinnabon uses cream cheese in their icing so I imagine it will be divine! When I do, I’ll let you know how it goes.

Cinnamon Rolls

INGREDIENTS

6-8 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. instant yeast
2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 eggs, whisked
2 1/4 cups warm milk

Filling:
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
ground cinnamon
raisins (optional)
pecans, chopped (optional)

Icing:*
4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk

*I don’t actually have a specific recipe I follow when I make this icing. The basics are always the same: butter, sugar, and milk. It is supposed to be much thinner than the cream cheese frosting. It should be able to be poured on (rather than spread). Feel free to make more or less and adjust to your desired consistency.

OR
Cream Cheese Frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
6-8 Tbsp. milk
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
pinch salt

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl combine 3 cups flour, yeast, salt, and sugar. Whisk to combine. Pour in wet ingredients (butter, eggs, and milk). Stir until it is a thick paste. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until it comes together into a ball.

2. Lightly flour a flat surface, and knead the dough, adding more flour to prevent sticking, 8-10 minutes, until smooth. Spray the inside of a bowl with cooking spray, place the dough inside, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

3. Punch down the dough and divide in half. Roll out each half into a large rectangle. Brush melted butter over the surface of the dough. Sprinkle with brown sugar, cinnamon, raisins (optional), and pecans (optional). Roll up lengthwise. Cut each log into 12 evenly sized pinwheels. Place into lightly greased 9×13 baking pans. Cover each pan and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

4. Preheat oven to 350 F. Bake rolls in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, until golden on top. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack.

5. While the rolls are baking, prepare the icing/frosting. For the icing, whisk to combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Adjust milk and sugar until you reach the desired consistency. For the frosting, beat butter and cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy. Slowly add the milk, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat until smooth. If the frosting is too thick, add more milk.

6. Pour icing/frosting over the hot rolls, dividing it among the two pans. Serve warm.

Fills 2 9×13 pans, about 24 rolls.

(Rolls from my mom, Cream Cheese Frosting adapted from All Recipes)

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