Cold-Fighting Chicken Noodle Soup

It's funny, because I posted this is on a food blog I had (Eclectic Eats). I haven't maintained it, but oh well! The funny part is that I looked up this recipe last night because Norah & I are fighting colds right now. Well, I posted the recipe EXACTLY a year ago because Brian & I had colds! I guess it must be that time of year.

This recipe will definitely be my go-to soup when I get a cold from now on. I made it late last night and even enjoyed a bowl of it (at nearly midnight!) right after it was done.

I am a veghead and definitely not a fan of the taste of chicken, but I did include it in the recipe, because it does have some healing properties to it, apparently! I don't really eat it. In fact, I pretty much take it out & put it back in the pot for Brian to eat! :)

So, here it is...

• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1.5 cups carrots, sliced
• 1.5 cups celery, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (I actually used 7 large ones!!!)
• 12 cups homemade or good quality chicken broth or stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 (heaping) tsp. ground marjoram
• 1 tsp. thyme
• 1 Tbsp. dried parsley
• 4 cups cooked chicken, chopped or shredded (I baked it)
• 5 oz. (about 1.5 cups) uncooked egg noodles
• fresh ground pepper, to taste
  

In a large stockpot or dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions and cook for about 3 minutes before adding the celery and carrots. Continue cooking a few more minutes before adding the garlic. Stir until fragrant. Add the chicken, broth, bay leaf, marjoram, thyme, parsley and ground pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and then reduce. Simmer lightly for 30 minutes.
Add the noodles and simmer until cooked, about 8 minutes.

Thanks to Krashed24 & MrsWindyCity (Elly’s) (What's Cooking Nesties) for the recipe!

Salted Nut-Roll Bars

Ingredients
~~Crust~~
1lb Nutter Butter Cookies
1 stick melted butter

~~Topping~~
2 cups butterscotch chips (or peanut butter chips)
2/3 cups light corn syrup
4 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 cups small marshmallows
2 cups dry roasted peanuts
2 cups Rice Krispies

Instructions
~Preheat oven to 350.
~Line a 13x9" baking pan with foil and coat well with nonstick spray.
~Pulverize cookies in a food processor until fine crumbs form (the kiddos love to help with this).
~Add melted butter; process until crumbs clump together.
~Press crumbs into prepared pan and bake 15 minutes or until golden.
~Melt butterscotch chips, corn syrup, butter, and vanilla in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring until smooth, about five minutes.
~Spread 1/2 cup of the mixture over the crumb crust.
~Top with marshmallows and return bars to oven, baking until marshmallows puff (about two minutes). Do NOT overbake.
~Toss peanuts and cereal with remaining butterscotch mixture until well coated.
~Drop spoonfuls of topping over marshmallows and spread with an oiled spatula.
~Cool bars before cutting.

~~Yield: 24 bars~~

Spiced Nuts

I gave these out as holiday gifts this year in small mason jars and they were quite a hit.  I just eat them out of the jar, but one friend also said they are great chopped up on salads!

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 C unsalted mixed nuts (walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, almonds)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

6 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

Mix spices and reserve.

Heat nuts in a dry skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until they begin to toast - about 4 minutes.  Add butter and cook, stirring until the nuts begin to darken - about 1 minute.  Add the spices, sugar, 1 tablespoon of water, and salt and cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens and the nuts are glazed, about 5 minutes.  Remove the nuts from the heat and transfer to a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, separating them with a fork.  Let the nuts stand until cooled and the sugar has hardened - about 10 minutes.  Store in an airtight container.