Quick and Easy Chicken Noodle Soup

I am back! And I have a brief two weeks at home before the summer traveling resumes. My goal is to buy only as many groceries as I can use so that I'm not left giving away or freezing food when we travel again. It does make menu planning a little bit more challenging than usual, but we'll see what we come up with.

Yesterday was my son's birthday. One of our traditions is the birthday person gets to choose what they want for dinner. Anything they want, and I'll make it. My son chose Chicken-Noodle soup, with some prompting from my husband.

I'm not a huge fan of chicken-noodle soup. To me, the star character is the broth, and the rest of it is a distraction. I'm in the minority. My husband loves it stock full of noodles and meat, with the broth playing a minor note.

This recipe is an excellent compromise. It's got all the stuff my husband loves, and the broth is plentiful and flavorful for me. It also comes together super quick, which is an added bonus.

Ingredients:

2 qt. chicken broth

1 C onion, diced

1 C celery, sliced

1 C carrot, sliced

1 can cream of chicken soup

2 C or more of water

12 oz. egg noodles (such as Kluski)

2 12-oz cans canned chicken (undrained)

Directions:

Combine first four ingredients and bring to a boil in a large stockpan. Simmer 20-30 minutes until the veggies are soft. Add the 2 cups of water, the noodles, and the chicken. Cook another 10-12 minutes until the noodles are done, according to package directions.

The soup will thicken the longer it cooks. Serve it immediately or let is simmer, but have water on hand to thin it if necessary.

I love how the flavor of the broth shines through and think it needs no additional flavor, but feel free to add salt and pepper as you see fit. Enjoy with bread or crackers.

Tastefully,

Tamara 

Ground Pork and Cilantro noodles (Dan Dan noodles)

After we did French week, we moved to Chinese food! Yeah, big switch. Anyway, this is my Americanized version of Chinese Dan-Dan noodles. Quick and easy! There are two sauces to these dishes. I make them up while the noodles are cooking so they are ready to pour.

Ingredients:

2 T peanut butter

2 green onions, sliced

1/2 t pepper

3 T soy sauce

1 t sugar

1/2 t hot chili oil

1 T balsamic vinegar

10 oz. ground pork

1/2 T minced garlic

1/2 C minced red onion

2 T bean paste (optional)

2 T rice wine (mirin)

1 lb. angel hair

1 T vegetable oil

1 T sesame oil

1/2 C chicken broth

1/4 coarsely chopped peanuts

10 cilantro springs

Cook the noodles according to package directions. While they cook, prepare the ground pork. Place the pork and half the green onions in a bowl.

In your serving bowl, mix the peanut butter with 1/4 C hot water. Whisk until smooth. Add the pepper and half the green onions, 2 T of the soy sauce, the sugar, hot chili oil, and vinegar. Mix well and set aside.

Mix the other half of green onions with the garlic, red onion, and bean paste in another bowl.

Mix the rice wine and 1 T of soy sauce in another bowl.

Heat a wok or large frying pan over high heat. Add the vegetable oil and heat until shimmery. Add the pork mixture and stir-fry, breaking up the meat with the spoon, about 30 seconds.

Add the garlic mixture and stir-fry for ten seconds. Add the rice wine mixture and stir fry for 10 more seconds. Add the sesame oil and stir-fry 5 second. Turn off the heat but keep it warm.

Bring the 1/2 C chicken broth to a boil and add it to the peanut butter mixture in the serving bowl. Mix until blended.

Pour the prepared noodles (cooked and drained) into the serving bowl on top of the peanut butter sauce. 

Pour the ground pork mixture on top of the noodles.

Garnish with the crushed peanuts and cilantro.

Serve immediately! This is sure to be a hit with everyone in the family!

Tastefully,

Tamara