Guest Post: Jen's Chicken Adventure!

My good friend Jen knows what a nut I am, and she is still my friend. I told her about a book I was reading called 'real food'. She took my word for it and checked it out at her library - maybe this means she is a nut too?

Anyways, as I go on this real food journey, I share all kinds of things with her. Some things she buys, and others she thinks I really am crazy! BUT, she kicked her coffee habit completely - bless her. I ain't doing that! AND she roasted a while chicken, made broth and my chicken soup recipe!

While she was at the grocery store, she sent me 509 text messages asking questions like "What do I need to roast a Chicken? They are on sale so I am going to try this", and "I don't have lemons, can't I just use lemon juice?"

So I asked Jen to document her process so we can share just how easy this really is. If there is one thing you can and [probably] should change in your diet, it is eating canned soups and using boxed broth. It is SO much better for you to make your own. Jen and I got on this topic after she stocked up on Campbell's Chicken Soup - she probably wanted to kill me after our conversation, but I think I have converted her :) And if Jen and I can do this, so can you! When we were in college, the mere touch of a naked chicken breast on my cutting board made me gag! Jen used to laugh while I tried to cut it up!

So, let's follow Jen's journey on her first time roasting a whole chicken, making the broth and homemade chicken noodle soup!

Look at how cute! She has her Chicken, her lemons (note: not lemon juice!) and her S&P.



 This is her eldest of 3 boys, Landon.

While Jen was attempting this whole charade, during each step, Landon would ask 100 'why' questions and Jen's respose was "Because Allison said this is how" :)

Check it out. She even buttered her roasting pan with BUTTER! Yeee-haw!

And she prepared the veggies for her stock by sauting them up!



 Jen chose the crock-pot method for her broth. She didn't want to leave it on her stove overnight. I can understand that. I didn't want to do that either, but after the first time I did try it that way, I won't go back! My crock pot seems to let too much water evaporate. But you do what works for you!

It is important to note that while Jen was consumed with this process, her youngest of 3 sons, Brayden, threw-up in his high chair! So, she had to pause to take care of that mess. I know, that was a gross thing to include in a post about food, but my point is, she STILL was able to accomplish this! That is how easy it is :)

 Look at that beautiful bird :) Pretty nice for a first try, eh?

Looks like Jen is a professional chicken roaster!

And here, she is ready to start her stock! She said it was so easy and she let her crockpot go for 8 hours.

Jen is not a lemon person so next time, she said she'll use one lemon, if any, in the chicken when she roasts it. However, the kids LOVED the leftover lemon in water. :)

And here is her Chicken Noodle Soup. Jen is a bow-tie kinda gal, so those are the noodles she used :)

So, Jen's thoughts on all this:

Did you like the soup?: Yes I loved it!

Was it easy? Will you do it again?: I would say it was very easy, especially the roasting part. I put the carcas, etc in the crockpot for 8 hours because I didn't want to leave the stove on all night. When my Mom makes hers she puts in strings of spinach, I was mad I forgot that but that would be good too. I would do it again because I love to have the chicken for chicken salad, to put on my salad, for chicken wraps, etc and literally it cost me like $4!

Yahoo! Proof that real food and cooking from scratch is easy and affordable!

Next up Jen, we'll get you to cook up some Salmon :)

Chicken Noodle Soup with Dumplings

I have never much been a fan of Chicken Noodle Soup. I know, I know. How is this possible? Just like how I am not much a fan of chocolate. *gasp*

In any event, for whatever reason, I decided I needed to make Chicken Noodle Soup. I have been feeling like I am coming down with something and with Christmas just a mere 5 days away, who wants to be sick! Everyone knows all about the amazing benefits of homemade stock, so I figure, why not.

The evening prior we had a roast chicken for dinner. What was once scary and intimidating to me (roasting a whole chicken) has become an easy, go-to meal for me when I don't want much fuss over making dinner. It's now just become habit that I make stock afterwards with the carcass.

Just a quick run down on what I put in my stock - carrots, celery, 10 (or so) peppercorns, a large clove of garlic and an onion. I brown all that up in the stock pot, add the chicken carcass and any meat I am not saving, fill the pot with water and a few glugs of apple cider vinegar and we're good to go. I bring it to a boil, let it boil for a few minutes, take it down to a simmer and then let it go all night. When I wake up in the morning, I strain it into jars and into the fridge it goes. Really, it couldn't be more easy.

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup with Dumplings
Serves 2 hungry adults with a smidge of leftovers

2 Carrots, diced
3 stalks Celery, diced
1 onion, diced
1 garlic clove, diced
1 package of egg noodles
1-2 cup(s) of cooked chicken, diced
10 cups homemade Chicken stock
extra virgin olive oil & butter

Coat the bottom of your soup pot with 1 tbsp (or so) of butter and some olive oil. Heat it up and then add in your carrots and celery - saute. After about 8-10 minutes, add in the onion and continue to saute about 5-8 minutes or so. Added in diced garlic until fragrant - no more than minute or so - you don't want it to burn.

Pour in your chicken stock and bring it to a boil. Once it is at a full boil, take it down to a simmer and allow it to go at a nice simmer for at least 45 minutes.

While your soup simmers, boil water for your noodles, cook them, drain them and set them aside. I don't like to add mine into the soup until I am ladling it into my bowl. Now is also when you want to prepare your dumpling dough. My husband is a huge fan of dumplings in his chicken soup so that is why I added them. And honestly, I think it is what made all the difference for me liking Chicken Soup!

For the Dumplings

1 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1.5 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup whole milk
2 tbsp unsalted butter, cold (I use grass-fed roll butter. It is much softer than the stick butter and makes it much easier to work with in a recipe like this!)
Herbs or Seasoning of your choice. I chose to sprinkle in a little Old Bay since my husband isn't a huge herb fan.

Mix your dry ingredients together. Cut in your butter - if you have a soft roll butter like I use, it is so easy you can just crumble it in with your fingers. Add in your milk and then mix it all together.

Bring your soup back up to a gentle boil. Drop the dough mixture by small spoonfuls into your soup. You can make them larger if your prefer larger dumplings, but I think they cook up nicer when they are smaller. Cover the pot and cook 5 minutes or so, then uncover, flip over the dumplings to their other side, cover and cook another 10-15 minutes until they are cooked through.

Once the dumplings are finished, added noodles to your soup bowl, then ladle in your soup and dumplings - enjoy!

One thing I might like to add next time is some Turmeric - just a tad. I was reading about the wonderful health benefits of Turmeric and I think I would like it in my Chicken Soup - but hubby, probably not!