Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

 (I can always get the kids to eat this!)

Throw four boneless skinless chicken breasts in a crock pot with water three-fourths full and a little olive oil.

 Add chopped
Celery
Carrots
Onions (I use a whole onion for flavor)

Dried or Fresh Parsley
Add Chicken Base (I like L.B. Jamison brand) according to directions on package, (I do
it to taste, I put quite a bit in there even after the chicken is cooked if it isn't strong enough)
(I sprinkle some garlic salt in there too)
 Cook on low for at least four-five hours, then cut up chicken into cubes

 Noodles (I double this, we LOVE the noodles)
 Start with water, then mix in Bosch or Kitchenaid.
1/4 to 1/2 cup water (I use a 1/2 a cup,
2 cups flour
3 egg yolks
1 egg
2 tsp salt

Mix for 5-6 minutes
Flour board, (when I double it I cut the dough into two
equal parts) roll out thin, roll up loosely with lots of
flour, slice it, dry it for an hour and boil.

Granola Topper

So, I got this recipe from a friend and I am hooked! We like to eat it with vanilla yogurt and strawberries. My kids even love it.

Ingredients

1 cup, scant, loosely packed brown sugar

2 cups, heaping, quick oats

1 T. butter or margarine

1 egg white

1 t. honey

1/4 t. salt

1/4 t. baking soda

Mix together until moist and crumbly. Spread on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 9-11 minutes until light golden. Let cool. Crumble and store in an air tight container.

Chicken Pot Pie

Can you believe I am actually posting? Melanie showed me how to do it today. This is one of my families favorite recipes that I do over and over. It does take some time, but we think it is worth it.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup butter 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup onion, chopped 4 cups cooked chicken, chopped

1 cup celery, chopped 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed

1/2 cup flour 1 recipe biscuit dough

5 cups chicken broth

1 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease ( 2 ) 9" pie plates

2. In a large skillet (I use my big soup pan) melt butter and saute onion and celery.

3. Add flour and mix well

4. Slowly stir in chicken broth and cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly.

5. Add salt, pepper, chicken and vegetables.

6. Pour into prepared pie plate. Cut biscuits 1/2" thick and place 6 on top of the chicken mixture for each pan.

7. Bake uncovered 20 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown.

8. Cool slightly before serving.

BISCUITS

INGREDIENTS

2 eggs, well beaten 3 cups flour

2 cup sour cream 2 teaspoons baking powder

2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 cup shortening 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1. In a mixing bowl, beat egg with a fork. Mix in sour cream, sugar, and shortening.

2. In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add gradually to egg mixture. Mix well. Dough will be sticky.

3. Sprinkle a little flour over dough and scoop onto a well-floured board.

4. Cut biscuits 1/2" thick.

Strawberry Cake

I found this recipe and my family loved it, so here it is.

INGREDIENTS

1 package white cake mix

1 egg white

1 cup white sugar

1 cup sliced fresh strawberries

1. Prepare the cake according to package instructions for three 8 inch round cake pans. Bake as directed on the package. Cool on wire rack.

2. To make the Frosting: In a large bowl, beat the egg white, sugar and strawberries on high speed until very stiff peaks form. This takes about 15-20 min. The frosting really grows so be sure you use a large bowl.

3. To assemble the cake: Place one layer on a serving plate, put in a couple toothpicks (this helps to hold the layers together) and frost with 1/4 of the frosting. Repeat with second layer. Place third layer on top, and frost top and sides of cake with the remaining frosting. Garnish with additional sliced strawberries.

I refrigerated it when I was done for an hour or two. I took the quick route and used two 8 inch cake pans and did not put toothpicks in the cake. It worked great! Deborah

Soft Sugar Cookies

I made these cookies for our New Beginnings and several have ask for the recipe I used.  I do have to confess Rebecca and Deborah helped with the decorating which is the reason for the beauty.   I used two different frosting recipes for these cookies.  One recipe is a cookie glaze which makes a shiny glaze and the other recipe is a buttercream frosting I used for the top deocorating.

Soft Sugar Cookies

INGREDIENTS:

2/3 cup shortening

2/3 cup butter

1 1/2 cups white sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup granulated sugar for decoration

DIRECCTIONS:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2.  In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, shortening and sugar.  Stir in the eggs and vanilla.  Combine the flour, baking powder and salt, stir into the creamed mixture until dough comes together.  Roll out dough and cut with a cookie cutter.  Place them on an unprepared cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.

3.  Bake cookies 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until bottom is light brown.  Remove from baking sheets to cool on wire racks.

Buttercream Frosting

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 cups confectioners sugar

1 Tablespoons milk

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, shortening and vanilla.  Blend in the sugar, one cup at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat in the milk, and continue mixing until light and fluffy.  Keepdicing covered until ready to decorate.

Cookie Glaze

2 cups powdered sugar

1 tablespoon milk

6 tablespoons light corn syrup

1.  Mix powdered sugar, milk and corn syrup.  Add more corn syrup.  a tablespoon at a time, to thin, if needed.  Tint with food coloring if desired.

2.  If sprinkles or other decorations are used, add immediately after frosting.