Food Feature on College Game Day

Two recipes will be featured today and both are soups:

Chicken Noodle and Split Pea w/ Carrot

Since I love everything Fall, I like to serve soups in my pumpkin bowls this time of the year. Originally meant to be candy dishes, they are now my Fall soup bowls.

Chicken Noodle Soup














This recipe came from my friend Stacie's mom, Pam Stubbs. She served it to us after touring her home in Missouri City, TX for the annual Christmas in July Tree Exhibit in 2007. Not only is this a great soup, but each time I make it I have fond memories of Stacie and her mom and all the fun times we've shared - mostly shopping! I also like this recipe because it is a simple, no frills soup. It can be dressed up to your liking.

ingredients:
1-1.5 lb chicken (I use either boneless breasts or tenderloins)
8 oz pkg egg noodles
1 pkg chicken flavored Ramon noodles (have you bought these since college?!?)
32 oz. box chicken broth
salt & pepper to taste














Oh, I forgot to mention that this is a crockpot dish which always makes me think the recipe will be easy.

Turn crockpot on high and pour in 1/2 the chicken broth. Place all the chicken in the broth and close lid to cook chicken. Cook times always vary depending on the type of crockpot you have. This usually takes about 45 minutes.

Once cooked, remove chicken and cut up on to small pieces. You can use a food processor here if you'd like. A knife & fork always work well and it's faster & easier for me.

Put the chicken pieces back in the crockpot and add the egg noodles, ramon noodles with its flavor packet, remaining broth and a cup or 2 of water.

Let it cook until the noodles are tender. In my crockpot, this usually takes about 20 minutes on high. At this point, you can add more water if needed and this is when I add the salt & pepper. Usually not much salt is needed due to the chicken broth & the flavor packet. Most every time I make this soup, the egg noodles disintegrate. That doesn't bother me because the flavor and the ramon noodles are still there.


Split Pea with Carrot Soup














This recipe doesn't have an interesting story. I found it in the Cypress-Woodlands Junior Forum Cookbook several years ago. Junior Leagues have the best cookbooks!!

ingredients:
1 16-oz pkg split peas
1 cup chopped carrots
1 chopped onion
1 Tbsp paprika
2 chicken bullion cubes
salt & pepper to taste














Rinse then soak the peas overnight.
Boil peas on high for 1 hour.
Turn heat down to simmer and add carrots, onion, paprika and bullion cubes.
Cover and continue to simmer for approximately 2 hours.
Soup is ready when the peas are mushy and the carrots are very tender (can easily be cut w/ a fork). Add salt & pepper to taste.


Both of these soups freeze well. I freeze individual serving-size containers. It's so nice to come home after a long day at work, open the freezer and see a yummy homemade meal waiting!