NOTHIN' BETTER THAN HOMEMADE CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

NOTHIN' BETTER THAN HOMEMADE CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP
(Makes 3-4 bowls)

Ingredients (as I made it, with what I had on hand):

3 stalks celery, thickly sliced

8 baby carrots, thickly sliced

1/4 red onion, cut into chunks

1/4 package Trader Joe's Organic Whole Wheat Rotelle

1/2 carton Trader Joe's free-range chicken broth
Water

1 tsp. crushed garlic (or 2 cloves)

1 can Trader Joe's chunk chicken in broth

1/4 tsp. sage powder

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/4 tsp. paprika

1/2 ground thyme

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. basil

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

1. Combine broth with enough water to almost fill a medium-sized pot; add garlic and bring to a boil.

2. Add pasta and boil for 1/2 of package cooking time (approximately 6 minutes).

3. Reduce heat to low boil, add vegetables, chicken (with broth), and spices; stir and cook for remainder of time on package (approximately 6 minutes more).

4. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer additional 10 minutes or so.

Notes:

*Unbeatable as a get-well gift.

*Tastes even better after sitting for a while in the fridge.

BUFFALO CHICKEN SALAD

BUFFALO CHICKEN SALAD
(Makes 2 entree portions)

Ingredients:

1/2 package Trader Joe's organic baby spinach (approx. 3 oz.)
1/4 red onion, sliced
4 mushrooms, sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
6 baby carrots, sliced
1 Trader Joe's free range, organic chicken breast, rinsed, patted dry, and sliced into 4 equal-sized pieces
1/4 bottle Louisiana Wildly Wicked Chicken Wing Sauce (or other hot wing sauce)
2 (or more) Tbsp. butter
Several Tbsp. Trader Joe's ranch dressing (or other ranch or blue cheese dressing)
Several Tbsp. vegetable oil
black pepper, to taste
garlic powder, to taste
chili powder, to taste

Directions:

1. Split spinach into two plates or pasta (wide, shallow) bowls.
2. Top each bowl with equal parts carrots, onion, mushrooms, and celery.
3. Heat oil in a sauce pan over medium-low heat.
4. Add chicken and cook 3 minutes.
5. Sprinkle chicken with pepper, garlic and chili powder; flip and cook 2 minutes.
6. Flip chicken and sprinkle other side with pepper, garlic and chili powder; cook 1 more minute.
7. Remove chicken to paper towel and turn heat off under pan.
8. Melt butter in pan, add wing sauce and stir until mixed.
9. Slosh chicken around in sauce mixture until coated well on both sides.
10. Remove chicken to cutting board; slice into bite-size pieces; split equally between salad bowls.
11. Drizzle remaining sauce mixture from pan over chicken.
12. Drizzle ranch dressing over salad.

Notes:

*Always take meat recipes proferred by a vegetarian with a grain of salt.

*It's a good idea to have a splatter guard over the pan when cooking the chicken, unless you enjoy having people stare at your chest trying to decipher what is all over your shirt.

EASY CHEESY CASSEROLE #2

EASY CHEESY CASSEROLE #2

Ingredients:
(Makes 3-4 entree portions)

3 zucchinis, diced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 eggplant, sliced into 1/2 inch thick slices
1/2 red onion, sliced
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 package Trader Joe's frozen organic brown rice
black pepper, to taste
salt, to taste
garlic powder, to taste
oregano, to taste (approx. 1/2 tsp.)
thyme, to taste (approx. 1/2 tsp.)
basil, to taste (approx. 1/2 tsp.)
crushed garlic, to taste (approx. 1/2 tsp. jarred crushed garlic)
Worcestshire Sauce, to taste (approx. 1 tsp.)
juice of 1/2 lemon (or 1 tsp. bottled lemon juice)
paprika, to taste (approx. 1/2 tsp.)
several tablespoons of olive oil
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 container ricotta cheese

Directions:

1. Snip corner of rice bag, nuke for 3 minutes, and set aside.
2. Cover eggplant slices with salt and set aside for 10 minutes.
3. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add crushed garlic. Add bell pepper and zucchini, stirring occasionally for 2 minutes.
4. Rinse eggplant and chop into small cubes. Add to pan and continue cooking for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
5. Add onion and tomato to pan and continue cooking for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
6. Sprinkle with pepper, paprika, salt, Worcestshire Sauce, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, garlic powder and basil. Stir well and continue cooking until eggplant is soft and some liquid has dissipated.
7. Combine in a bowl rice, ricotta cheese, and a bit more black pepper, salt, and garlic powder,
8. Add veggie mix to rice mixture and mix very well. Transfer to a large casserole dish.
9. Sprinkle parmesan cheese over casserole. Cover with foil and put in oven on 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle more parmesan cheese over casserole, and return to oven for 20 minutes more, until parmesan is slightly browned.

Notes:

*Leave out Worcestshire Sauce, or use vegetarian version, to make it a vegetarian dish.
*Kids can help by stirring rice and cheese mixture.
*Serve with a simple side salad and garlic bread for a complete meal.