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A Life You Adore Around A Table You Love.

On guard.

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Chicken Noodle Soup

The other day I was casually strolling through Heinen’s, picking out the perfect bulb of garlic when BAM!

A woman – like, an adult! – sneezed ON B. I almost froze, like did this really just happen?

To top it off, she was wearing scrubs. Like, hospital scrubs. Thanks for infecting him with whatever crazy illnesses you were a part of today. Awesome.

Look, if you’re anything like me, you’ve had it with these germs. We had an awesome run, I really shouldn’t complain; but then too many weeks were filled with too many pediatrician visits, too many antibiotics (hate those things), too many sleepless nights (zzzzz), and too many of our dear friends sick. Not cool.

I decided to attempt another action plan for my family. I do my best to keep everyone healthy with proper sleep + food + exercise + vitamin + flu shot. It’s a great start, for sure. But the bugs this year are relentless, and obviously our basic plan is just not cutting it. 

That’s when I did a little research and decided to come up with the healthiest chicken noodle soup I could possibly make. This one has it all: antibacterial, antiviral, antioxidant, and anti-parasitic ginger, vitamin C, vitamin B6, selenium and manganese packed garlic, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial packed lemongrass, and lastly, anti-inflammatory antioxidant packed turmeric. All brightened up in a freshly chopped parsley and big squeeze of zesty lemon juice package. 

Convinced?

Hey, with the flu shot only being 20% effective this year (really? really?), I’m going to go out on a limb and say this might even protect you better. And if you still end up sick (I’m so sorry), nothing will appeal to you more then a big bubbling bowl of this. Tea, a fire, and pj’s on the side. 

Be well!

Flu Season Chicken Noodle Soup
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Ingredients
  1. Extra virgin olive oil
  2. 1 cup chopped onions (about 1/2 of a medium)
  3. 3/4 cup sliced leeks (about 1 medium, white and light green parts only)
  4. 2 sliced carrots
  5. 2 chopped celery
  6. 1 tablespoon freshly minced ginger
  7. 1 tablespoon minced lemongrass (or paste)
  8. 3 cloves minced garlic
  9. 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  10. 4 cups chicken stock (I ended up using a bit more, and increased seasonings as well)
  11. 8 ounces cooked chicken, chopped or shredded (rotisserie chicken is great)
  12. squeeze of 1 lemon
  13. 1 cup whole wheat egg noodles
  14. salt and pepper
  15. chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
  1. Heat a TBS of oil in a dutch oven/soup pot over medium heat. Add onions, leeks, carrots and celery and saute until softened, roughly 5-8 minutes.
  2. Stir in the ginger, lemongrass, garlic, and turmeric and stir until fragrant. Season with salt & pepper.
  3. Pour in your stock and chicken and simmer together to blend flavors. Squeeze in one lemon and taste to adjust seasonings accordingly. I used a good amount of salt and pepper and added a touch more lemongrass.
  4. Right before serving, add noodles until soft. Pour into deep bowls and top with freshly chopped parsley.
A Life From Scratch. http://a-life-from-scratch.com/

Too easy.

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pulled buffalo chicken sliders

You know how sometimes the best ideas are right in front of you?

I’ll admit it – when researching C’s picks for the week, similar recipes and ideas to this one for pulled buffalo chicken sliders have come up more than once. And I always passed by them thinking, it’s just too easy.

How could something that requires literally zero effort taste anything more than mediocre? 

Well, that’s just the thing. Maybe, perhaps, sometimes the most basic recipes are in fact the tastiest. And this one proves just that. Three (!!!) ingredients dumped into a crock pot and you’re good to go. Nothing but an over the top delicious dinner awaits you a few hours later.

I served mine up on sweet Hawaiian rolls, which paired oh so nicely against the bit of kick the chicken had going on. Crunchy purple slaw and chunky blue cheese to top because hey, why not? Exactly. There is no reason.

Get these going this week! Promise?

Buffalo Chicken Sliders
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Ingredients
  1. 5 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  2. 12 ounce bottle Franks Buffalo Wing Sauce
  3. 1 package dry ranch dressing seasoning
Instructions
  1. Mix ingredients together in a crock pot. Cook on low 5-6 hours or high 3-4. Shred with a fork at the end.
  2. Serve on Hawaiian rolls topped with purple cabbage and good chunky blue cheese dressing. Try not to eat 6!
Adapted from Somewhat Simple
Adapted from Somewhat Simple
A Life From Scratch. http://a-life-from-scratch.com/

Monday comfort.

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cheesy chicken enchilada soup

Oh my goodness. Are you drowning in snow? Because we so are! I hope everyone is safe and warm and cozy and well fed from SuperBowl festivities. We had enough food to feed an army but somehow made a pretty good dent at it all. #BigEaters

Well, now it’s Monday and that means the start of another snowy and cold week. Let’s whip up something delicious to help us through it all, shall we?

This cheesy chicken enchilada soup has it all. It goes along with this Dinner: Impossible tip, and it’s also a short cut recipe that easily comes together with a rotisserie chicken. Always a win.

Then, there’s the …. flavor. I fully believe it comes from one spot-on ingredient: masa harina. Think Mexican flour.

It gives this a sloooooow cooked, oh so authentic feel yet it comes together in roughly 20 minutes. Heck yeah, dinner’s done.

Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Soup
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Ingredients
  1. 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  2. 1 cup diced white onion
  3. 2 cloves garlic, minced
  4. 1/2 cup masa harina (find it in the baking aisle by flours)
  5. 3 cups chicken stock (may need a bit more)
  6. 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
  7. 1 1/4 cups (or 1 10-ounce can) red enchilada sauce
  8. 1 (14-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
  9. 1 (14-ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
  10. 1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles
  11. 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  12. 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated
  13. season with salt & pepper
  14. optional toppings: avocado, tortilla strips, cilantro, chopped tomato, sour cream
Instructions
  1. Heat the oil in a large stock over medium-high heat. (To save time, peel and dice the onion for the minute or so that the oil heats - love this tip) Add the onion and saute for 5 minutes, or until cooked and translucent.
  2. Add the garlic and saute for an additional minute until fragrant. Stir in the masa harina and cook for an additional minute to develop that deep flavor.
  3. Pour in half of the chicken stock, and whisk until completely combined. Add in the remainder of the chicken stock, and whisk to combine. Immediately add in the chicken, enchilada sauce, black beans, tomatoes, green chiles, salt, pepper and cumin, and stir until combined. Continue stirring occasionally until the mixture reaches a simmer.
  4. Reduce heat to medium-low and let it simmer for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally so that the soup does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Then stir in the cheese, one handful at a time, until combined. Taste, and season the soup to taste with salt.
Adapted from Gimme Some Oven
Adapted from Gimme Some Oven
A Life From Scratch. http://a-life-from-scratch.com/

 

All good things.

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french onion beef stroganoff

Oh. Hi there, comfort food.

It doesn’t get much better than this. Caramelized onions, browned mushrooms, fresh herbs, steak, and egg noodles all topped with perfectly shredded Guyere cheese. Man, what else is there to say?

Well, one tip that may help you, perhaps. This isn’t your go-to quick weeknight meal. This one takes a bit more time. I worked away at the stove while I had two happy boys sledding in the sunny yard on yet another day off school. And I enjoyed every minute. Sometimes it’s good to slooooow things down a bit. Caramelize, sauté, sear, deglaze, brown.

All good things. All good things.

This is the recipe for your next chilly day stuck inside, or Sunday dinner with your family. Just don’t count on leftovers.

French Onion Beef Stroganoff
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Ingredients
  1. ¼ cup unsalted butter
  2. 3 onions, sliced
  3. 1 clove garlic, chopped
  4. 1 bay leaf
  5. 1 sprig thyme
  6. 6 oz mushrooms, sliced
  7. 1 tablespoon olive oil
  8. 1.5 lbs round steak, cut into chunks
  9. Kosher salt and black pepper
  10. All-purpose flour
  11. ¼ cup red wine
  12. 1½ cups beef broth
  13. ½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  14. 3 cups egg noodles
  15. ⅔ cup sour cream
  16. 1- 1½ cups grated Gruyere or Swiss
  17. Parsley, to top
Instructions
  1. Melt the butter in a large pan (with sides) over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, bay leaf, sprig of thyme, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper and cook until the onions are soft and nearly caramelized, about 20 minutes. Add in the mushrooms (with a little more butter, if necessary), and saute until the mushrooms are soft and slightly browned and the onions have caramelized, about 5 more minutes. Remove the onions and mushrooms to a bowl.
  2. Heat a tablespoon of oil over medium-high, and sprinkle the steak with salt, pepper, and flour. Saute until browned, about 3 minutes. Remove the steak and set in the bowl with the mushrooms and onions.
  3. Deglaze the pan with the red wine (so fun!). Add in 1½ cups beef broth and ½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce and bring to a low simmer. Add back in the steak, mushrooms, and onions and let simmer, covered, until the broth reduces slightly and the steak is cooked, about 8 minutes.
  4. As you wait for the broth to reduce, cook the egg noodles according to the package. Drain and set aside.
  5. Remove the beef mixture from the heat and add in the ⅔ cup of sour cream, stirring well. Mix in the cooked egg noodles.
  6. Top with 1 to ½ cups grated Gruyere. If in a ovenproof pan, put under the broiler until cheese is melted and browned. Top with chopped parsley and serve.
Adapted from Host the Toast
Adapted from Host the Toast
A Life From Scratch. http://a-life-from-scratch.com/

Polar vortex win.

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polar vortex chili

Oh my.

I never thought I’d be leaving 85 degrees only to come home to 3 days of cancelled school. Not cool man, not cool. As we were flying home, B and I were looking down upon Chicago and all I could think of was wow, it looks…inhabitable. Like honestly, who lives here?

Well, we do. Unfortunately. So, it’s time to make the best of it. For now. I’m still in a vitamin D high from Florida. Give me a few days and I’ll be crying in the corner. 

Anyway… on Wednesday (a high of -3) I pulled out all my tricks with the kids: PJ party, warm chocolate chip cookies, a fire, good movies, and this recipe. 

You guys.

If you want to kick some serious polar vortex butt, get this going in your kitchen asap. Hello, eight vegetables. Yep, eight. Also? Five beans. A heck of a lot of flavor and no meat. What you’re left with is a super duper germ fighting, temperature busting healthy comfort, all served up warm in a deep bowl next to a fire and a glass of… you guessed it, pinot.

To be precise, I literally ate this sitting on my floor next to our fireplace with 4 kiddos snuggled up in warm fuzzy blankets watching Scooby Doo. I couldn’t have been happier.

Take that polar vortex, TAKE THAT.

Polar Vortex Chili
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Ingredients
  1. 1 tablespoon canola oil
  2. 2 cups onion, chopped
  3. 1 cup chopped carrot
  4. 1 cup chopped zucchini
  5. 2 red bell peppers, chopped
  6. 3 garlic cloves, minced
  7. 1 jalapeno seeded and minced
  8. 2 tablespoons unsalted tomato paste
  9. 3 teaspoons dried oregano
  10. 3 teaspoons chili powder
  11. 2 teaspoon kosher salt
  12. freshly ground pepper
  13. 2 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika
  14. 4 cups organic vegetable stock (I used a bit more - have up to 6 cups available, if you like your chili 'soupier')
  15. 1 (14.5-ounce) can unsalted diced tomatoes, undrained
  16. 1 (15-ounce) can unsalted black beans, rinsed and drained
  17. 1 (15-ounce) can unsalted kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  18. 1 (15.5-ounce) can unsalted chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
  19. 1 (15.8-ounce) can unsalted Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
  20. 1 (16-ounce) can unsalted pinto beans, rinsed and drained
  21. 4 cups chopped kale
Instructions
  1. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Add onion, and carrot; sauté 10 minutes or until tender. Add in red peppers, jalapeno, and zucchini. Saute until softened. Add in garlic, saute another minute or so.
  2. Stir in tomato paste and your spices, saute another minute or so.
  3. Pour in your vegetable stock, tomatoes, and beans. Bring to a boil. Reduce to low heat, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes or so. Taste to season - I threw in a bunch more of the spices, but, I like things with a kick.
  4. A few minutes before serving on low heat stir in your kale. Top with shredded cheese of your choice (smoked gouda never fails), sliced avocado, crackers, etc.
A Life From Scratch. http://a-life-from-scratch.com/
 
 
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