Creamy Chicken (or leftover Turkey) Noodle Soup

I was in the mood for chicken noodle soup, a real comfort food.  I must say this recipe is somewhat like chicken and dumplings, another comfort food of mine.  So if you're in the mood for either one, this recipe will fill the need.  Enjoy the comfort!

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

(Printable Recipe)

1/4 cup butter

2 cups chopped onion

2 cups shredded carrots

4 stalks celery, chopped

1 teaspoon minced garlic

Leaves from 5 sprigs fresh thyme

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoons black pepper

1 bay leaf

12 cups low sodium chicken broth

1 package Reames Homestyle Egg Noodles (freezer section)

1/2 cup cream

4 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup flour

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

Heat olive oil in large stockpot.  Add onions, carrots, celery, and garlic and cook 5 minutes over medium heat.  Add thyme, parsley, salt, pepper, bay leaf and chicken broth.  Simmer on low for 30 minutes.  Stir often.  Bring broth to a boil and add egg noodles.   Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.  Stirring occasionally.  

In small skillet, melt butter.  Add flour and cook for 1 minute. 

Add cream to noodle mixture followed by the flour mixture.  Stir until thickened.  Add chicken to heat.  Serve.

Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Day comes, by statute, once a year; to the honest man it comes as frequently as the heart of gratitude will allow.  

-Edward Sandford Martin

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake

Have you tried Paula Deen's Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake? If you haven't, what has been stopping you?  This is a yummy dessert. I made one modification to the recipe; I added pecans to the crust.  How could that hurt? If you're not a fan of pie crust, this might be the recipe for you. The recipe is similar to pumpkin pie but with a  dense cake crust.  You might just start a new Thanksgiving tradition! 

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake

Adapted from Paula Deen 

(Printable Recipe)

For the Crust:

1 package yellow cake mix

1 egg

1 cup chopped pecans

8 tablespoons butter, melted

For the Filling:

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

8 tablespoons butter, melted

1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the cake mix, egg, pecans, and butter and mix well with an electric mixer. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 9 - 10" spring form pan pressing up about 2" on the sides of the pan as well.

To make the filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter, and beat together. Next, add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mix well. Spread pumpkin mixture over cake batter and bake for 45 to 50 minutes. Make sure not to overbake as the center should be a little gooey. Serve with fresh whipped cream.

Note:  I usually cover the pan with foil the last ten minutes of baking to prevent over browning of the crust.

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Onion Stuffing

It took me a few years to get the hang of making dressings and stuffings. Now I enjoy creating my own stuffings each year. This onion stuffing was the result of having an excess of onions hanging around. Onions provide a lot of flavor to so many dishes that I knew I could add an extra abundance of the vegetable and be pleased with the outcome. A little bacon and some fresh herbs as accompaniments will provide a great side dish for turkey.  

Don't forget to prepare the bread the day or night before to create the stale bread that soaks in the flavors you desire from stuffing.

Onion Stuffing

(Printable Recipe)

1 loaf French bread, torn into pieces

1 pan cornbread, cut into cubes

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 onions, diced

1 onion, halved and sliced  (I sliced one to highlight the main ingredient in the dish.)

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 bunch of fresh sage leaves (at least 12), and cut into 1/2" pieces

leaves from 6 sprigs fresh thyme

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

5 slices bacon, cut into 1" pieces and cooked until crisp

3 cups vegetable broth

1/4 cup cream

Tear bread into pieces and cut cornbread into cubes.  Prepare ahead to allow breads to get stale.  Place bread cubes in large bowl.   In large skillet, heat olive oil.  Add onions and celery.  Cook until onions start to caramelize (about 10 minutes).  Add to bread mixture, tossing slightly.  Add herbs, salt, pepper, and seasoning.  

In same large skillet, cook bacon pieces until crisp.  Toss with herbs in bread mixture.  Using the bacon grease in the skillet (Yes, that is what I said.), add the broth and cream and stir until blended.  Pour over bread mixture, tossing to combine ingredients.  Pour stuffing into buttered roasting pan.

Bake in 350 F oven 30 minutes or until it meets your expectations for desired moisture content.

Sweet Potatoes with Apples

Have you ever made a recipe and got excited because it surpasses your expectations? This recipe from Oprah Magazine has become one of my favorite recipes. I love it!  Just read the ingredients and you can see how it differs from a typical sweet potato casserole, yet entices you with the orange juice, cream, butter, nutmeg and black pepper. I have only made one alteration to this recipe. I reduced the black pepper from 2 teaspoons to 1 1/2 teaspoons. If you enjoy sweet potatoes and don't mind varying from tradition slightly on Thanksgiving, I highly suggest this recipe. I usually make it ahead and cook Thanksgiving Day allowing me more time with my family.  

Sweet Potatoes with Apples

Adapted from Oprah Magazine

(Printable Recipe)

8 pounds (about 12 large) sweet potatoes
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 cup heavy cream
1 stick butter, melted
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
4 teaspoons salt
1-1/2 teaspoons pepper
6 tablespoons butter
6 McIntosh or Macoun apples, peeled, cored and cut into eighths
6 tablespoons brown sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Scrub potatoes, then prick several times with a knife or fork. Bake 1 hour, or until very soft when pierced with a knife. Combine orange juice, cream, butter, brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and pepper.

Remove potatoes from oven. Once cooled, scoop out the insides with a spoon. Place 1/2 of sweet potato meat into the bowl of an electric mixer. Add 1/2 of juice-and-cream mixture, blend until combined but not smooth, and pour into a large baking dish. Repeat with remaining potatoes and juice-and-cream mixture, and add to baking dish.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add apple wedges and brown sugar; cook about 10 minutes, turning apples occasionally, until lightly browned on both sides. Place on top of sweet potatoes and bake 30 minutes, until heated through. (If refrigerating before baking, cook 45 minutes, or until heated through.)
Note: This recipe makes a large pan of sweet potatoes.  I would half the recipe if I was serving 4-6 people.

Chayote Squash

photo from here

Whenever I am in the produce section of the grocery store, I become curious about fruits and vegetables that I have never tasted before.  Occasionally, I will even purchase one to see if it has the potential to become a regular in my grocery cart.  This week I tried chayote squash.  It had a reasonable price of $1.39 and slightly resembled a Bartlett pear in shape, color, and size.  The squash is mainly grown in Costa Rica and some areas of Mexico.  It is a good source of amino acids and Vitamin C.   After researching the internet for recipes, I decided to try this one from allrecipes.com.   In all honesty, I'm not sure what the verdict will be for this squash making its way into my cart again.  It was nothing like yellow squash or zucchini.  I think the recipe would have been better had I omitted the vinegar.  The chayote is crisp like an apple and retains the flavor of its accompanying ingredients well.  If there is a next time, I think I will try it raw in a salad because of the crispness.  

Mashed Rutabagas

Mashed rutabagas have been a Thanksgiving staple in my family since a child. Cooked in a similar way as mashed potatoes, rutabagas are a great side dish to the Thanksgiving meal, especially if you want to change things up a bit. Rutabagas are slightly sweet, pack a lot of flavor and are an excellent source of vitamins A and C. 

Mashed Rutabagas

(Printable Recipe)

2 medium sized rutabagas, peeled and chopped

3 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup sugar

salt, to taste

Place the rutabagas in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until tender. Drain the water from the rutabagas, reserving 1 cup. In a mixing bowl, add the rutabagas, reserved cooking liquid, cream, sugar and butter. Mash with a potato masher or use an electric mixer to combine all of the ingredients. Season with salt, to taste. 

Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Streusel

Mashed potatoes were always my favorite side dish with turkey on Thanksgiving until I journeyed south and had my first Thanksgiving dinner Southern style.  I am a traditionalist when it comes to holiday meals but this dish won me over and is still years later, a family favorite addition to the Thanksgiving menu in our home.

Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Streusel

(Printable Recipe)

2 cups cooked sweet potatoes 

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter 

2 eggs slightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup milk

For streusel:

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup flour

1/3 cup butter

Mix together the sweet potatoes, sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla and milk. Pour into a greased casserole.

Combine streusel ingredients in a mixing bowl until crumbly. Sprinkle topping over cassarole and bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

10 Minute Cranberry Sauce

This cranberry sauce recipe is almost as easy as opening a can, but sadly, it is not sliceable. Fresh cranberries are cooked in orange juice and sugar until they begin to pop. That's it! You have better things to worry about on Thanksgiving, like the other dozens of side dishes planned. 

10 Minute Cranberry Sauce

(Printable Recipe)

1-12 ounce bag fresh cranberries

1 cup orange juice

1 cup sugar

In a saucepan, stir together the orange juice and sugar over high heat. Add the cranberries and stir until the cranberries pop and turns saucy. Remove from heat and chill. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Crispy Chewy Gingersnaps

I didn't think I was into the gingersnap/molasses flavored varieties of cookies until I made these. Gingersnaps from the brown paper sack at the grocery store are too cardboard-like for my liking and so I lost interest. These cookies though, changed my views. The cookies are crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. Fresh grated ginger, ground ginger and crystalized ginger are added to the batter. The dough is rolled in demerara sugar before baking which adds a nice crunchy sweetness to every bite. All that and more rolled up in one cookie is probably what had me thinking about them as soon as fall rolled around this year. I already can't wait to make them again next year!

Crispy Chewy Gingersnaps

Adapted from Oprah.com

(Printable Recipe)

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 stick butter, melted

1/4 cup molasses

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar, packed

1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger

1 egg

3/4 cup crystalized ginger, finely diced

1/2 cup demerara sugar, for rolling

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, allspice and salt. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl combine the butter, molasses, sugar, brown sugar, fresh ginger and the egg. Mix well. Add the dry ingredients and crystalized ginger and stir until combined. 

Using a cookie scoop, scoop dough into a shallow bowl with the demerara sugar in it. Roll around to coat and place on a parchment lined baking sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating halfway through until the cookies appear cracked and begin to deflate. Remove from the oven and let cool 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Spaghetti Squash With Roasted Red Peppers, Pine Nuts and Spicy Garlic Oil

Isn't spaghetti squash just plain fun! I love roasting it and then scraping the steamy pasta-like strands out of the shell while trying not to burn my fingers too much. I am just fine eating it plain with maybe a pat of butter and a little cracked pepper. Last night though, I decided to prepare it just like I would a pasta dish. I used what I had on hand to make the "pasta" and would have loved to make a pesto to toss with it if I had enough basil. But because I was determined not to go to the store for 1 ingredient, I took a slightly different approach. I tossed the spaghetti squash with a spicy garlic oil, toasted pine nuts and chopped roasted red peppers. I plucked every last basil leaf from my plant (there were just a few left) and added that in to get at least a little basil flavor in every bite. 

Spaghetti Squash With Roasted Red Peppers, Pine Nuts and Spicy Garlic Oil

(Printable Recipe)

2 spaghetti squash, cut in half lengthwise and seeded

1/2 jar roasted red peppers, chopped

1/4 cup olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

a couple shakes red pepper flakes

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

2 tablespoons fresh basil (add more if you have it!)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the squash, cut side down on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until the squash pulls apart easily with a fork. Let cool 5-10 minutes before proceeding. In a small saucepan, combine the olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook on medium low until the garlic is crispy, but not too browned (brown garlic=burnt garlic). Remove the squash from the shells and place in a large bowl.* Add the spicy garlic oil, roasted red peppers, pine nuts and basil. Toss to combine and serve.

*A Busy Nest Tip: Save the shells and use them as individual serving "bowls." 

Laura's Dinner Rolls

My friend Laura came over to make bread.  She felt intimidated by yeast breads for no reason.  Laura is a very capable person in many ways and I would never consider attempting many of the home improvement projects she has tackled.  She brought over two recipes for rolls to make together; one was a dinner roll recipe and the other one a cinnamon roll recipe.  We began by making the dinner roll recipe and I began to feel uneasy as we made it because the dough seemed too lumpy and too dry (the recipe states it would be though).  I had never made the recipe before and continued with the entire process until we had  a somewhat hard biscuit as a result.  I was disappointed.  


During the rise time of the dinner rolls we started making the cinnamon rolls.  I've had  lots of experience making cinnamon rolls and felt confident during our quest to conquer Laura's cinnamon roll recipe.  The result proved much better as we removed a cast iron skillet full of perfect looking cinnamon rolls for Laura to take home to her family.  Before she left, I quickly made her my 5 Minute Pizza Dough to take home to prepare a quick dinner.  I wanted her to leave with two good results, not one!

After she left,  I was determined to give those dinner rolls another try.  I knew something must have gone wrong.  As I began making the recipe, I quickly uncovered the demise of the rolls.  I had failed to put 1/2 cup of water into the recipe.  This would account for a much drier roll.   Note:  It is easy to become distracted when making bread while talking with a friend and having children interrupt you during the bread making process.  The fate of these rolls would not be the same the second time.  The result was a very good dinner roll.  I immediately called Laura to let her know what happened and that I was enjoying a much better result than our first attempt.  As a matter of fact, I think I'll be making them again.  


Thanks for the recipe Laura (and more importantly the company)!



Jordan's Rolls (a.k.a. Laura's Dinner Rolls)
from Southern Living, October 2010
(Printable Recipe)
1/2 cup sugar
2 (1/4-oz.) envelopes rapid-rise yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
5 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup shortening
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups warm water (110° to 120°)
3/4 cup butter, melted and divided

Combine first 3 ingredients and 2 cups flour in a large bowl. Cut in shortening with a fork or pastry blender until crumbly. Stir in eggs. (Mixture will be lumpy and dry.) Stir in warm water, 1/2 cup melted butter, and remaining 3 cups flour until well blended. (Mixture will remain lumpy.) Cover with a kitchen towel, and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 20 minutes. (Rolls will rise only slightly.)

Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Sprinkle lightly with flour; knead three to four times. Pat or roll into a 13- x 9-inch rectangle (about 3/4 inch thick). Cut dough into 18 rectangles using a pizza cutter. Place in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch pan, and cover with towel. Let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°. Bake rolls 25 minutes. Brush with remaining 1/4 cup melted butter, and bake 5 more minutes or until golden.

New England Clam Chowder

Nothing warms up a cold day than a pot of clam chowder! Clam chowder is the perfect comfort food and served with homemade bread makes a great meal on a chilly day. While shopping for the ingredients for my chowder recipe, I saw nonfat half and half on the shelf at the grocery store and was thrilled to know I can enjoy my soup, with not feeling the guilt of the high fat content the cream adds to the recipe. After that happy encounter I came to the aisle where the canned clams are and clam broth to find they had a savings on the price of the items, so I bought double the amount I need to stock up on my shelf. Talk about a successful shopping trip!


New England Clam Chowder
(Printable Recipe)

1 cup onion chopped

1 celery finely diced

2 cups potatoes, finely diced

2 cans clams (6.5 ounces each), undrained

2 bottles (8 ounces each) clam juice 

3/4 cup butter

3/4 cup flour

1 quart nonfat half and half 

11/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons flat leaf parley, chopped

Combine vegetables in a small saucepan.  Drain clams, pour juice over vegetables; add bottled clam juice to cover. Cook, uncovered until tender, about 15 minutes. In the meantime, melt butter in large heavy saucepan. Stir in flour until blended and bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in the half and half until blended. Return to heat. Cook and whisk until thick and creamy.  Add the vegetables and clams; heat through. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the parsley.

Raspberry Vanilla Frozen Yogurt

Yeah yeah. I'm aware it is November. It's getting chilly outside, but a girl still has to get her ice cream fix. I know I can't wear white after Labor Day, and even though my mind is usually affixed on dreams of sugar plums and pumpkin pies this time of year, ice cream and other frozen treats never go out of style in my book.

One of my favorite go-to recipes is this frozen yogurt. Unlike most ice cream recipes that require the preparation of a custard and then hours chilling in the fridge, this takes no time at all. The key is Greek yogurt. You could make this recipe with regular yogurt, but you would need to strain it for a few hours to get all of the excess liquid out. Since Greek yogurt, like my favorite brand FAGE, is already strained, you can skip straight to a super fast preparation and then a 20 minute whirl in the ice cream maker.

In the summer time I just top off the frozen yogurt with fresh berries, but since raspberries aren't at their peak, I used frozen berries and stirred them in during the last few minutes. It makes the frozen yogurt swirly and pretty and pink as well!

Raspberry Vanilla Frozen Yogurt
(Printable Recipe)
17.6 ounces plain FAGE greek yogurt*
1/3 cup honey (use 1/2 cup if you prefer it sweeter)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup frozen raspberries


Whisk together the greek yogurt with the honey and vanilla until completely combined. Freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Right before taking the ice cream out, add the raspberries and allow to mix for just a couple minutes. Eat immediately if you like it soft or freeze for 1-2 hours (Personally I have never been able to wait that long!) 


*Most greek yogurt comes in full-fat, 2 percent or fat free varieties. If you use fat-free, it does not freeze as well because there is not enough fat to keep its creaminess, but is just as delicious if you plan on eating it right away.

Sweet and Sour Chicken with Brown Rice

I actually planned my meals for the week.  It is a rare occurrence as I usually cook from the hip with whatever is in the pantry or refrigerator. The point of planning was to prepare some healthier meals for my family.  When cold and flu season approaches, I have an urge to nourish my family with healthier food in hopes of stronger immune systems and less chance of a visit to the doctor's office.  

When searching for healthy recipes, I adapted this recipe from Food Network and it is a definite winner.  I like that it incorporates many vegetables into the recipe and has a lighter tasting sweet and sour sauce. 

Sweet and Sour Chicken with Brown Rice

Adapted from Food Network

(Printable Recipe)

2 cups instant brown rice

1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons apricot preserves
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1 pound chicken tenders, cut into bite-size pieces
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons finely grated or minced ginger
6 cups bite-size pieces of vegetables, such as snow peas, broccoli and bell peppers

Prepare rice according to the package directions.

Meanwhile, whisk vinegar, soy sauce, cornstarch and apricot preserves in a small bowl. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, undisturbed, for 2 minutes. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink on the outside and just starting to brown in spots, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, garlic and ginger to the pan and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 20 to 30 seconds. Add vegetables, reduce heat, cover and cook until the vegetables are tender-crisp, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in the chicken. Whisk the reserved sauce and add to the pan. Simmer, stirring constantly, until the sauce is thickened and the chicken is heated through, about 1 minute. Serve with the rice.