Chunky Chicken Noodle Soup

Chunky Chicken Noodle Soup 3 - 4 chicken breasts with bone in 3 32oz cartons of chicken broth (I prefer unsalted) Bertoli Fettucini Noodles (1 - 2 pkg) Peppercorns Butter Chicken Bullion Cube (I prefer Knorr brand) Pour chicken broth into large pot. Rinse and dry chicken breasts, add to broth. Also, add butter, bullion and peppercorns. Cook (gentle boil) for 35 - 40 minutes after it comes to a boil. Meanwhile, cook noodles and drain. Set aside. When chicken is cooked remove from broth and cool. Remove meat from bone and cut into large bite size pieces. Add back to broth. Add noodles. Serve with your favorite bread or rolls.

Huber's Stroganoff

This was given to me by Dave's sister Jennie. Since we are having it tonight, I thought I would share.

The Huber's way to Beef Stroganoff: This is super simple...

In a large (12") frying pan with cover ...

Take a pound of some kind of steak (I use stew meat a lot just sliced into thin strips, but round steak or anything like that will work fine)
Brown the meat with a chopped onion until the meat is cooked and the onion is clear ( I usually just cover the frying pan and let it cook at medium heat until it's cooked through. Then I drain any liquid/fat)

Add 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup and one small container of sour cream (fat free works great too) to meat and onion mixture. Stir together then add a few shakes of worstershire sauce ( this is key, but it's hard to say how much to add, I never measure it out. I usually look at the color of the sauce and when it starts to darken a bit from the worstershire sauce I call it good - use Dave as a taste tester at this point, he'll be able to tell you when you have enough).

That's the sauce!

Then just boil a bag of wide egg noodles and serve the sauce and noodles separately. At least that's the way we usually served it. You can do whatever you're comfortable with though. :D

$25 Cheesecake - so worth it!

I'm a frugal person by nature, so this expensive recipe goes against my natural grain of living, but my palette wins on this one. Especially good if left to chill overnight, although I couldn't wait that long :-)

Crust
8 T unsalted butter - melted
3 c Nilla wafer crumbs (I think I just used the whole box)
1/3 cup sugar
1 t cinnamon
1 t ground ginger
1/2 nutmeg
Pinch of Kosher salt

Filling
2 8oz pkg cream cheese @ room temp
1 8oz log of goat cheese
16 oz sour cream
5 large eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 t vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350.
Grease springform pan with butter. (10" works best)
Combine ingredients for crust and press into pan.
In a large bowl, combine cream cheese and goat cheese with a mixer until light and fluffy. Mix in sour cream. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each egg. Add the sugar and vanilla. Mix lightly.
Pour the filling into the crust lined pan. Bake on baking sheet for 30 minutes, then rotate the pan. Bake another 25 - 30 minutes, until filling is set. Cover w/foil if it starts to darken.
Remove from oven and let cool. Refrigerate overnight. Enjoy!!!


This is my modified version of Anne Burrell's recipe from Cook Like a Rock Star

Potato Soup

1 cup onion - minced
1 cup celery " "
6 cups potatoes - chopped
4 cups milk
2 sticks butter
2 chicken bullion cubes
1/2 t thyme
1/2 t pepper
Salt to taste
Bacon bits

Using 3 - 4 quart pot, saute onions and celery in butter. Add potatoes and bouillon. Simmer until potatoes are cooked on low heat.
In a separate pan, add 4 T flour and 4 T butter. Stir. Heat until butter is melted.
Stir into soup. Add heated milk. Stir until thickened. Add salt, pepper and thyme.
Garnish with bacon bits and cheese if desired.

Broccoli Soup

1 bunch broccoli (fresh or frozen)
1/4 c onion - chopped
3/4 c potato " "
4 T. butter
1 cube chicken bullion
1 1/2 c water
2 c milk
1 T flour - heaping
1 t. lemon juice
Shredded cheddar cheese

Clean and chop broccoli. Cook in 3/4 c water til tender. Melt butter in large pan. Add chopped potato and onion, then bullion. Cook until onions are clear. Add 1 1/2 cups water. Cook until potatoes are done. Add flour to milk in bowl. Mix well. Heat in microwave 2 minutes, stir. Add to cooked potatoes and onions. Add Lemon juice. Add broccoli. Take out 1 - 2 cups and puree. Add back to soup. Add shredded cheddar to taste. Add salt and pepper if desired.

Swiss Steak

2 lbs round steak (cut into serving size pieces
Flour
Cajun Seasoning
2 cans stewed tomatoes
Onion (sliced)

Sprinkle the Cajun Seasoning on the steak, then flour each side. Place in crock pot, alternating layers of onion, steak and tomatoes. Add 1 1/2 cans of water. Let cook in crock pot for 5 -6 hours on high.
Serve with peas and rice, combined with butter.

(oh, just writing this out makes me hungry!!)

Oatmeal Cake

Pre-heat oven to 350 f

Put 1 1/4 cup water on to boil with 1 cube butter.

While it melts, measure out 1 cup oatmeal - when butter is melted, remove from fire and stir in oatmeal. Cover and let sit while you prepare.

1 1/4 cup flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
1 t. soda
1 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
2 eggs

Mix all together, and bake, 30 - 35 minutes. Remove and cool. Dust the top with powdered sugar.

Chai Tea

1" piece of fresh ginger root, roughly chopped
6 cloves
1" cinnamon stick
4 cardamom pods crushed with seeds
2 cups water
1 cup 2% milk
3 T loose leaf Indian Tea
2 T raw sugar

Place all ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 - 3 minutes. Remove from heat and strain. Pour into cups and enjoy.