Category: Recipes

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Chicken Noodle Soup…

with real, homemade noodles.

Dude…

The problem with this soup is that no matter how big your pan is—you can never quite make enough. I swear I could eat a big bowl of this soup every autumn day of my life–and deep into winter. Hmmmm…so simple and perfect. No creepy ingredients to scare the kids. Just good ol’ grama’s kitchen-type stuff–like the farm hands eat.

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Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

2 1/2 lbs. boneless chicken breasts, cut up

1 qt. water

4 carrots, cut into 1/2 inch slices

1 Tbsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

2/3 cup rice (uncooked)

3 chicken bouillon cubes

2 chicken gravy packets

1 cup milk

2 c. uncooked noodles

Heat chicken, water, rice, spices and bouillon to boiling  in a 4 quart pan; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 30-45 minutes–or until carrots and rice are tender. If your liquid boils down too much, just add more a cup or so at a time. Mix the gravy packets and milk together in a measuring cup until smooth. While stirring, add gravy to soup mixture, slowly. Bring to gentle boil again. Drop uncooked noodles into soup and boil about 4-5 minutes or until the noodles float to the top. Cool a bit before serving.  Serves 8…

unless you invite…

me over.

Homemade Egg Noodles

2 c. all-purpose flour
3 egg yolks
1 egg
2 tsp. salt
1/4 to 1/2 c. water

Measure flour into bowl; make a well in center and add egg yolks, whole egg and salt. With hands thoroughly mix egg into flour. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. (Add only enough water to form dough into a ball.)

Turn dough onto well floured cloth covered board; knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Cover. Let rest 10 minutes. Divide dough into 4 equal parts. Roll dough one part at a time. Cut dough crosswise into 1/8 inch strips with a pizza cutter. Use fresh or allow to dry.

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Chicken Noodle Soup...
 
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Ingredients
  • 2½ lbs. boneless chicken breasts, cut up
  • 1 qt. water
  • 4 carrots, cut into ½ inch slices
  • 1 Tbsp. salt
  • ¼ tsp. pepper
  • ⅔ cup rice (uncooked)
  • 3 chicken bouillon cubes
  • 2 chicken gravy packets
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 c. uncooked noodles
  • Heat chicken, water, rice, spices and bouillon to boiling in a 4 quart pan; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 30-45 minutes--or until carrots and rice are tender. If your liquid boils down too much, just add more a cup or so at a time. Mix the gravy packets and milk together in a measuring cup until smooth. While stirring, add gravy to soup mixture, slowly. Bring to gentle boil again. Drop uncooked noodles into soup and boil about 4-5 minutes or until the noodles float to the top. Cool a bit before serving. Serves 8...
Instructions
  1. Homemade Egg Noodles
  2. c. all-purpose flour
  3. egg yolks
  4. egg
  5. tsp. salt
  6. /4 to ½ c. water
  7. Measure flour into bowl; make a well in center and add egg yolks, whole egg and salt. With hands thoroughly mix egg into flour. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. (Add only enough water to form dough into a ball.)
  8. Turn dough onto well floured cloth covered board; knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Cover. Let rest 10 minutes. Divide dough into 4 equal parts. Roll dough one part at a time. Cut dough crosswise into ⅛ inch strips with a pizza cutter. Use fresh or allow to dry.

 

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Valentine Candy Pizza

Be sure to have a tall glass of milk when you take a slice of this lovely little “pizza.”

Now I suppose you could wrap one of these up and give it to someone you love…a lot…

but only if they are willing to share…

or make you one in return.

Trust me, you will be tempted to just keep it.

Sorely tempted.

Yeah…

that would be my vote.

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Ingredients:

1 tube (18 oz.) refrigerated sugar cookie dough

1 cup M&M’S® Brand Chocolate Candies

1 cup chopped assorted chocolate candy bars (we used mini Snickers, Kit Kat, Fast Break, and Baby Ruth bars)

1/3 cup mini-marshmallows


Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Press cookie dough evenly into a pizza pan.Bake in a preheated 350°F for 15 minutes.

3. Remove from oven and top with candy and marshmallows. Return to the oven and bake for another 7 minutes, to soften candies.

4. To serve, cut cookie into wedges.

Valentine Candy Pizza
 
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Ingredients
  • 1 tube (18 oz.) refrigerated sugar cookie dough
  • 1 cup M&M’S® Brand Chocolate Candies
  • 1 cup chopped assorted chocolate candy bars (we used mini Snickers, Kit Kat, Fast Break, and Baby Ruth bars)
  • ⅓ cup mini-marshmallows
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Press cookie dough evenly into a pizza pan.
  3. Bake in a preheated 350°F for 15 minutes.
  4. Remove from oven and top with candy and marshmallows.
  5. Return to the oven and bake for another 7 minutes, to soften candies.
  6. To serve, cut cookie into wedges.

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Butternut Bread

I loved the idea of a bread made with Butternut Squash–especially when no one can tell  it’s in there. So fluffy and tender—all the while also being very sneaky indeed. Sneaky bread.

Doesn’t that just make you want to eat it?

Heh, heh.

Buttercup Bread

Ingredients

3 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (110° to 115°)
2 tablespoons sugar
2-1/2 cups mashed cooked buttercup or butternut squash
2 cups milk
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup butter, softened
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3 teaspoons salt
13 cups all-purpose flour

Directions

In a very large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add sugar; let stand for 5 minutes. Add the squash, milk, brown sugar, butter, eggs and salt; mix well. Add 6 cups flour. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.

Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/4 hours.

Punch dough down. Divide into three portions; shape into loaves. Place in three greased 9-in. x 5-in. loaf pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.

Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Yield: 3 loaves (16 slices each).

 

Buttercup Bread
 
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Ingredients
  • 3 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast
  • ½ cup warm water (110° to 115°)
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2-1/2 cups mashed cooked buttercup or butternut squash
  • 2 cups milk
  • ⅔ cup packed brown sugar
  • ⅔ cup butter, softened
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 3 teaspoons salt
  • 13 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
  1. In a very large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water.
  2. Add sugar; let stand for 5 minutes.
  3. Add the squash, milk, brown sugar, butter, eggs and salt; mix well.
  4. Add 6 cups flour.
  5. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes.
  6. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
  7. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
  8. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top.
  9. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/4 hours.
  10. Punch dough down.
  11. Divide into three portions; shape into loaves.
  12. Place in three greased 9-in. x 5-in. loaf pans.
  13. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.
  14. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown.
  15. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

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Buttermilk Doughnuts

Donuts 016

It’s just not a particularly fair planet–is it?

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I mean, come on.

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Haven’t I been doing really well…

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resisting every snack…

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every treat…

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every goodie, for weeks now?

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All for the sake…

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of the dreaded scale?

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Doing quite well, too–thank you very much.

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And then, my talented kids…

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take an otherwise innocent afternoon…

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and pull this.

Chanting, chanting, chanting…

“Nothing tastes as good as being thin feels. Nothing tastes as good as being thin feels. Nothing tastes as good as being thin feels.”

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No.

But I bet it’s dang close.

Sheesh.

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Buttermilk Doughnuts

Ingredients

4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5-1/2 to 6 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups buttermilk
Oil for deep-fat frying
Additional sugar, cinnamon-sugar or confectioners’ sugar, optional

Directions

In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar until light and lemon-colored. Add butter and vanilla; mix well. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg; add to egg mixture alternately with buttermilk. Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.
On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/2-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 3-in. doughnut cutter.
In an electric skillet or deep-fat fryer, heat oil to 375°. Fry doughnuts, a few at a time, for 1 minute on each side or until golden. Drain on paper towels. Roll in additional sugar if desired. Yield: 4 dozen.

(Recipe from Taste of Home Magazine)

Buttermilk Doughnuts
 
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Ingredients
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 cups sugar
  • ⅓ cup butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 5-1/2 to 6 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • Oil for deep-fat frying
  • Additional sugar, cinnamon-sugar or confectioners' sugar, optional
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar until light and lemon-colored.
  2. Add butter and vanilla; mix well.
  3. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg; add to egg mixture alternately with buttermilk.
  4. Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.
  5. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to ½-in. thickness.
  6. Cut with a floured 3-in. doughnut cutter.
  7. In an electric skillet or deep-fat fryer, heat oil to 375°.
  8. Fry doughnuts, a few at a time, for 1 minute on each side or until golden.
  9. Drain on paper towels.
  10. Roll in additional sugar if desired.

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Pumpkin Cake Roll

a Pumpkin roll 011

I know that the actual holidays are behind us, but there are still 150 cans of Libby’s Pumpkin in our pantry…or so it seems.

This recipe has been stuck to my recipe “to do” board for weeks now and finally—holidays or no holidays–I just had to make the darn thing. Holy cow–am I glad I did. This cake was incredibly light and fluffy but rolled perfectly into a little log. Please notice how curled the center of the cake is—I’m pretty proud of that thing. And we haven’t even talked about how it tasted. Holy Cow–did I already say that? Sorry. At any rate–it was a wonderful, glorious experience and I was sorely tempted to eat the whole thing myself. In fact, I believe I tried.

Trust me when I say that I’ll be making this one again…and again…and—well, until the 150 cans are gone. You know…

just trying to help.

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Pumpkin Cake Roll

Ingredients

3 eggs, separated
1 cup sugar, divided
2/3 cup canned pumpkin
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt

FILLING:
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Additional confectioners’ sugar, optional

Line a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan with waxed paper; grease the paper and set aside. In a large bowl, beat egg yolks on high speed until thick and lemon-colored. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar and pumpkin, beating on high until sugar is almost dissolved.
In a small bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Fold into egg yolk mixture. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; gently fold into pumpkin mixture.

Spread into prepared pan.

Bake at 375° for 12-15 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool for 5 minutes.

Turn cake onto a kitchen towel dusted with confectioners’ sugar.

Gently peel off waxed paper.

Roll up cake in the towel jelly-roll style, starting with a short side. Cool completely on a wire rack.

In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla until smooth. Unroll cake; spread filling evenly to within 1/2 in. of edges.

Roll up again. Cover and freeze until firm. May be frozen for up to 3 months. Remove from the freezer 15 minutes before cutting. Dust with confectioners’ sugar if desired. Yield: 10 servings.

a Pumpkin roll 002To Cut:

To avoid smashing your roll when cutting it with a knife, slide a piece of string or dental floss under the roll, cross it at the top…

a Pumpkin roll 003

and close the circle through the cake. This will make your cuts clean and smooth.

a Pumpkin roll 007

Ain’t that pretty?

Pumpkin Cake Roll
 
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Ingredients
  • 3 eggs, separated
  • 1 cup sugar, divided
  • ⅔ cup canned pumpkin
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
  1. Line a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan with waxed paper; grease the paper and set aside. In a large bowl, beat egg yolks on high speed until thick and lemon-colored.
  2. Gradually add ½ cup sugar and pumpkin, beating on high until sugar is almost dissolved.
  3. In a small bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form.
  4. Gradually add remaining sugar, beating until stiff peaks form.
  5. Fold into egg yolk mixture.
  6. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; gently fold into pumpkin mixture. Spread into prepared pan.
  7. Bake at 375° for 12-15 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched.
  8. Cool for 5 minutes.
  9. Turn cake onto a kitchen towel dusted with confectioners’ sugar.
  10. Gently peel off waxed paper.
  11. Roll up cake in the towel jelly-roll style, starting with a short side.
  12. Cool completely on a wire rack.
  13. Unroll cake; spread filling evenly to within ½ in. of edges.
  14. Roll up again.
  15. Cover and freeze until firm.
  16. Remove from the freezer 15 minutes before cutting.
  17. Dust with confectioners’ sugar if desired.
Notes
* FILLING: 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened 2 tablespoons butter, softened 1 cup confectioners' sugar ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract Additional confectioners' sugar, optional In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter, confectioners' sugar and vanilla until smooth.