Monday Menu ~ Comfort Food

With fall upon us the grill has been put away and I’m back in the kitchen making breads, pies, casseroles, and all of my favorite comfort foods. This has to be my favorite season partially because I get to bake…. yes, it’s my favorite past time.

Chicken and noodles is one of my favorites as well as my families. It’s one of the few dinners that I can make and have very little leftovers! Now there are a couple ways to go about making this… the easy way or the full out homemade version. I’ve made both and they’re equally delicious and I’ll give the ingredients for both. How much time you want to take will depend on which recipe you make and I’ll tell you that I’ve been able to make the quick & easy version on a weeknight.

Comfort food - chicken & noodles

Quick & Easy

  • 1 – 2 rotisserie chickens pulled off the bone & cut up
  • 32 oz container of chicken broth
  • Medium Onion chopped
  • 2 -3 stalks of celery chopped
  • 2 -3 carrots chopped
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 bag of frozen peas
  • Reames Egg Noodles (1 -2 packages) – or some other thick noodles
  • 1/2 – 1 cup of heavy cream or half & half
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 3 tbsp flour

Saute all the vegetables other than the peas in a bit olive oil until the onions are translucent. Add in the chicken, bay leaf, and the broth, bring to a boil over medium heat and simmer until the veggies are tender. Stir in the noodles and cook until they’re done. When the noodles are done turn down the heat and stir in the peas.

In a separate pan melt the butter and stir in the flour, cook for 1 minute. Stir in the flour mixture into the soup until thick and finish off with the cream.

Season with salt, pepper, and any other herbs that you like.

Homemade Version

This doesn’t vary much from the quick & easy recipe.

  • 1 whole roaster chicken
  • 32 oz container of chicken broth (may need 2 for this version)
  • Medium Onion chopped
  • 2 -3 stalks of celery chopped
  • 2 -3 carrots chopped
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 bag of frozen peas
  • Reames Egg Noodles (1 -2 packages) – or some other thick noodles
  • 1/2 – 1 cup of heavy cream or half & half
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 3 tbsp flour

Boil the chicken in one of the containers of chicken broth until cooked through and almost falling off the bone. Remove from the broth and let cool until you can handle it and then pull the chicken off and cut it up.

In another pot, saute all the vegetables other than the peas in a bit olive oil until the onions are translucent. Add in the chicken, bay leaf, and the broth from the first pot, bring to a boil over medium heat and simmer until the veggies are tender. Stir in the noodles and cook until they’re done. When the noodles are done turn down the heat and stir in the peas.

In a separate pan melt the butter and stir in the flour, cook for 1 minute. Stir in the flour mixture into the soup until thick and finish off with the cream.

Both are thick, delicious, and warm you heart, soul and stomach.

What is one of your favorite comfort foods?

 

Don’t forget about the Doodle Roll giveaway! It’s a great stocking stuffer idea!