I gave this recipe to my sister Elise with the note that “my search for the perfect Chicken Noodle Soup had ended”. She has made it, probably more times than I, for herself, sick children and friends. Giving someone a container of homemade soup is an act of love.

While Chicken Noodle Soup is great when you’re sick, it’s also wonderful to eat on a chilly, or rainy, Fall night for dinner. Add a loaf of hot bread with butter and, nirvana! This is a pretty easy recipe- the hardest part is chopping the veggies. You could use a food processor to expedite this step. I sometimes add corn kernels to this recipe, for a little crunch.

Two notes on this soup: Make sure you cook the potatoes until tender (no one likes a hard potato) and it’s best to cook the egg noodles separately and add to the soup before warming up to serve. Otherwise, the noodles suck up the broth and can become mushy.

Also, I didn’t have poultry seasoning, so I made my own (sage, thyme, marjoram, rosemary, nutmeg) with an All Recipes recipe. These are spices I don’t use very often, so I’d rather make use of them before they lose their freshness.

Let me know what you think about my Holy Grail of Chicken Noodle Soups.

The Best Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

Recipe by Cooking LIght Course: SoupsCuisine: Comfort FoodDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Calories

202

kcal

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil

• 1 cup chopped onion

• 1 cup diced carrots

• 1 cup sliced celery

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• 1/4 cup all purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon oregano

• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
  

• 1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning

• 6 cups low sodium chicken broth

• 4 cups diced peeled baking potato

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2 cups diced leftover chicken

• 4 ounces (2 cups) uncooked whole egg noodles

• Fresh Thyme (optional)

• 1 cup evaporated milk

Directions

• Heat olive oil in a Dutch Oven over medium heat. Add chopped onion, carrots, celery and garlic; saute 5 minutes.
• Sprinkle flour, oregano, thyme and poultry seasoning over vegetables and cook 1 minute.
• Stir in broth, potato and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, partially covered 25 minutes or until potato is tender.
• Add roasted chicken, milk and noodles and cook 10 minutes or until noodles are tender.
• Garnish with fresh thyme, if desired.

Recipe Video

Notes

• Add corn kernels for crunch, if desired.
• If you don’t have fresh thyme, you may substitute another herb, like parsley.

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The appeal of these Mango Almond Overnight Oats is they are made ahead, stuck in the fridge and ready to eat for breakfast the next morning. They are also a portable breakfast to take on-the-go, making them perfect for busy people who want to eat healthy. Mason jars with a top make the perfect container for Overnight Oats.

When you mix the ingredients together in the beginning, they are soupy, but overnight, the ingredients thicken and become spoonable. Between the chia seeds and oatmeal that absorb liquid, the Overnight Oats turn into a pudding-like consistency.

I originally tried a Pumpkin Pie version of Overnight Oats, but wasn’t crazy about it, so I’m posting a recipe for Mango Almond Overnight Oats, which I found years ago online and love. The best time to make these is in the summer, when mango season is in full tilt, but frozen mango can be used or fresh peaches.

Mango Almond Overnight Oats

Recipe by Monica of The Yummy LifeCourse: BreakfastCuisine: HealthyDifficulty: Easy

Servings

1

servings

Prep time

9

minutes

Calories

195

kcal

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup uncooked old fashioned rolled oats

• 1/3 cup skim or almond milk

• 1/4 cup low-fat Greek yogurt

• 1 1/2 teapoons chia seeds

• 1/8 teaspoon almond extract

• 1 teaspoon honey

• 1/4 cup diced mango (about 1/2 a small mango)

Directions

• In a half pint jar or container, add oats, milk, yogurt, chia seeds, almond extract and honey. Put lid on jar and shake until well combined.
• Add mangoes and stir until mixed through.
• Put lid on jar and refrigerate overnight or up to 2 days. Eat chilled.

Recipe Video

Notes

• If you don’t like almond flavor, add vanilla extract instead.
• If you do like almond flavor, you can add some toasted almonds as well.
• Add a dash of sea salt, if desired.

The good thing about this recipe is that you probably already have all of the ingredients in your pantry, and, if you don’t, it is somewhat adaptable. I didn’t have chipotle chile powder, so used plain chile powder and, since I was out of brown sugar here in the Keys (what?), I used regular sugar. The other plus is, the more you let the rub sit on the steak, the more flavorful it will be, so you could rub it on the day before and let it sit overnight.

Add a baked potato, grilled asparagus (or other veggie), Caesar salad and your Dad’s favorite dessert (either homemade or purchased) and you’re good to go! Cooking at home is so much meaningful, intimate and less expensive than eating out on Father’s Day. Happy Father’s Day to all fathers out there and if you’re not celebrating, this is still a good, easy steak rub to have in your back pocket of recipes.

Spicy Coffee Rub

Recipe by Ina GartenCourse: CondimentDifficulty: Easy

6 steaks

6

servings

9

minutes

Ingredients

• 2 TBL Kosher Salt

• 1 TBL Freshly Ground Pepper

• 1 tsp ground coffee

• 1 tsp granulated garlic powder

• 1 tsp chipotle chili powder

• 1 tsp crushed red pepper

• 2 tsp light brown sugar

Directions

• In a small bowl, combine all the above ingredients.
• Pat steaks dry with paper towels and brush with olive oil.
• Pat rub all over steaks, cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.

Recipe Video

Notes

• Silicone brushes are easier to clean.

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I used this dressing recently to go on a salad with a Mexican Meal of Grilled Pork and Poblano Souffle. In that case, I used sliced Romaine, jicama, red onion, tomatoes, orange slices and pumpkin (pepita) seeds. A very versatile dressing, it also works on salads with Asian meals, or, in Seafood Salads as seen below with arugula, avocado and boiled shrimp. It lasts in the fridge about a week.

Cilantro Lime Dressing

Recipe by Sharon WIlliamsCourse: SaladDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

7

minutes

This very versatile, fresh dressing packs a punch on many different kinds of salads.

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar

• 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice

• 1 garlic clove

• 2 tsp. chipotle chilies

• 1/4 cup honey

• 3/4 cup canola oil

• 1 cup cilantro

• 1/2 tsp. salt

Directions

• Chop cilantro and set aside.
• Peel and mince garlic and set aside.
• Add all ingredients, except oil and cilantro into a food processor and blend.
• Add cilantro to processor and pulse to combine.
• Taste dressing and adjust seasonings as needed.

Notes

• I add less honey and oil, but I suggest trying the recipe as is once and then tweaking it to your tastes.

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Sometimes I want to cook elaborate meals and sometimes I just need to get dinner on the table. The elaborate meals normally are cooked on the weekends and even those, are much less elaborate than they used to be in my “Bon Appetit” days. This shrimp recipe is for those days that you just want to get dinner on the table, but it also could be used for a dinner party as it tastes more special than the minimum effort required.

Most proteins- be it beef, poultry or seafood- basically taste like they taste, once you account for Prime vs. Choice, Organic vs. non or Wild Caught vs. Farmed. The only way to add flavor is with a marinade, seasoning or rub and a sauce to serve it with. This shrimp recipe uses all three of these techniques to really amp up the flavor! I would serve this shrimp with rice pilaf or couscous and a green vegetable, like asparagus. This shrimp has SO much flavor, you really don’t need much else!

I used the Trader Joe’s Large Argentinian Shrimp in the freezer section for this recipe, but any frozen shrimp will do. These shrimp are red in color, come 20-25 per pound and cost $11.99. The Trader Joe’s Honey Aleppo Sauce ($3.99) is a “sweet, savory, tangy and slightly spicy” sauce, with a base of olive oil and honey. It’s delicious on a lot of things and to keep it simple, I use it to make the Bang Bang Sauce to dip the shrimp in. I call this recipe Yum Yum shrimp, because it is really yummy!

By the way, this photo isn’t of the shrimp in this recipe (note the dill), but was the best I could do! This is a four ingredient recipe and you can get it on the table (after marinating) in 10 minutes. As Ina would say, How Easy is That?

Yum Yum Shrimp

Recipe by Gina GuilfordCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

58

minutes

Cooking time

5

minutes

Ingredients

• 1 jar Honey Aleppo Sauce

• Lemon Pepper Seasoning

• 1 Bag of Frozen Shrimp (20-25 per pound)

• Bang Bang Sauce

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise

• 1/4 cup Honey Aleppo Sauce

Directions

• If you get the Large Argentine Shrimp from Trader Joe’s, they are already peeled and deveined. If not, peel and devein shrimp. Lay the shrimp in a large, non-reactive flat bowl or pan and cover with Honey Aleppo Sauce.
• Let the shrimp marinate from 1 hour to up to 8 hours. There isn’t acid in this sauce, so it will not “cook” or degrade the texture of the shrimp. Remove shrimp from marinade and thread on skewers. If you use wooden skewers, you will need to soak them in water at least an hour so they don’t burn on the grill.
• Preheat your grill to medium heat (between 350 and 450 degrees).
• Generously sprinkle Lemon Pepper Seasoning all over shrimp skewers.
• Make your Bang Bang sauce by combining mayonnaise with Honey Aleppo Sauce with a whisk until smooth.
• Spray grill with Pam! Important or shrimp will stick. Grill shrimp skewers 5 to 7 minutes, flipping over half way.
  
• Remove shrimp from grill when the flesh inside is white and opaque. Serve immediately with Bang Bang sauce and desired sides.

Notes

• You can also buy Bang Bang sauce at the grocery store if you don’t want to make your own.
• You could also make this recipe by broiling the shrimp, instead of on the grill.

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This barbecue rub, which Steve Raichlen calls the “Granddaddy of all barbecue rubs” is one I use all the time. It’s great on pork, but I also like it on chicken, beef and even a robust fish, like salmon. I usually make a double batch because it lasts for months and I keep some in my pantry, for an “in the back pocket” addition to any protein.

Since most meats, after you account for the type and grade, mostly taste the same, the only way to noticeably change or enhance the flavor is through a marinade or a rub. After it’s cooked, a sauce added can also add to the flavor, but I sometimes find when I use this rub, I don’t even need a sauce. Raichlen suggests letting the rub marinate on the meat for 2 to 4 hours first. This is from his book Barbecue Bible Sauces, Rubs and Marinades.

Basic Barbecue Rub

1/4 cup coarse salt (kosher or sea)

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 cup paprika

3 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon dried onion flakes

1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon celery seeds

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and stir or whisk to mix. Transfer to a jar, cover and store away from heat and light. The rub will keep for several months.

Makes 1 cup

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