Crock Pot Chicken and Soba noodle soup

This week I feel like I we are living off of soups! My son came down with the flu and I think the rest of us are starting to get a little hint of hint of it also.  So with that said my remedy is well I'm sure you guessed it is Soup!  I made a chicken soup for the gang in the crock pot( which is my all time favorite way to make soup) and I realized that oops! I'm out of the long spaghetti so, as I'm on a scavenger hunt in my pantry I passed the soba noodles and I thought "I can just break these up a bit and toss em' in"  and sure enough it turned out to be incredible! Just because the soba noodles do not become super soggy like the pasta does, the soba noodles can stand up to a hearty soup and stand out in it as well!.  Soba noodles are actually a from buckwheat so it gives less carbs and more protein.  This soup is super hearty and just down right delicious! 

Happy Eating from my kitchen to yours! 

What you Need:

Crock Pot

6 cups chicken stock (if you want you can add 4 cups chicken stock and 2 cups water if you don't have enough stock)

2 cups of chopped baby carrots

3 stalks of celery chopped

1 large onion chopped

1 green bell pepper chopped

2 chicken breasts 

1 table spoon of dried basil

1 table spoon of dried oregano

1 table spoon of dried parsley

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 lb dried soba noodles 

How to:

Add all ingredients to crock pot except for soba noddles they will go in 15 minutes prior to serving, Turn crock pot on high for 6 hours. 

Before serving you want to shred you're chicken breast so that the chicken will be bite size and nicely combined in the soup.

Break the soba noddles apart and add them to you're soup 15 minutes prior to serving. 

Crock Pot Tortellini Soup

My best friend and I have talked every single day since we have been in 9th grade and that's just the way it is! We make each other laugh so much that it's literally depressing if we can't talk daily to one another! my husband calls her my other half! lol! and her an I tend to agree with that statement! So a few months back her and I were on the phone and she told me she was making tortellini soup for dinner and I asked her how to make it and I said mmm... that sounds delicious! I made it the following day, and immediately it became a twice a month thing because my family begs me to make it.

Enjoy this recipe! it's absolutely delish and your sure to go for seconds!  From my kitchen to yours Happy Eating! Also check out her blogspot as well so that you can laugh just as much as her and I do! 

http://busymee.blogspot.com/

 What You Need:

1 Bag of fresh tortellini (any kind will do I used cheese and spinach)

2 Cups of fresh spinach

1 onion chopped

2 cups of baby carrots chopped

4-5 stalks of celery chopped 

4 cups of beef broth (or you can use chicken, or a vegetable stock)

29  ounces canned diced tomatoes  

1 tbsp of dried basil

1 tbsp of dried parsley

1 tbsp of dried oregano

1 tbsp of dried garlic

Salt and Pepper to taste

How to:

Place all the ingredients in the crock pot except the tortellini's, they will go in before you are about to serve. 

Turn crock pot on high for 4-5 hours and cover. 

Before serving add the tortellini about 15 minutes prior to eating. 

Serve and Enjoy! 

Caramel Apple Cupcakes (A sweet Fall Treat!)

So I'm going to tell you guys that I have a HUGE! sweet tooth! however; I'm not really into baking so much, but during the holidays and fall I feel so inspired to do so.  I want to be able to make memories with the family and let the kids get messy, and have them addicted to everything pumpkin and apple at this time of the year like I am.  So of course around this time I break out the flour and sugar and get to it!  Today my parents came over for dinner and I thought it would be a really nice idea to bake these cupcakes and have them decorate with us, and that we did!  We actually had a blast and sugar is always a great bribery tool to have the kids eat their dinner also!   So here they are my caramel apple cupcakes! I'm sure you all will love them just as much as we did!  from my kitchen to yours! Happy Eating! 

The fam decorating the cupcakes...what's my baby doing? "look mom no hands!" lol! 

Adapted from: www.yourcupofcake.com

What You Need:  

Apple Cake:

1 box white cake mix

2 tsp. cinnamon or apple pie spice

3 eggs

¼ C. butter, melted and cooled

¼ C applesauce

1 C. milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 ½ C. peeled and chopped apple

This recipe makes about 20-24 cupcakes

Caramel Buttercream: 

1 C. butter, softened

2 Tbsp. caramel sauce

1 tsp vanilla extract

3-4 C. powdered sugar

How To:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line pans with cupcake liners.

2. Sift cake mix and cinnamon in to a small bowl and set aside.

3. In a large bowl, combine eggs, butter, applesauce, milk and vanilla extract together.

4. Stir in cake mix until smooth.

5. Stir in chopped apples.

6. Fill cupcake liners ¾ full and bake for 17-22 minutes of until an inserted knife comes out clean.

7. Butter cream: Beat butter for 1 minute. Add caramel and vanilla extract and continue to beat. Slowly add powdered sugar until you reach your desired consistency.

8. Pipe butter cream onto cooled cupcakes and top with melted caramel.

Tip:  Let the cupcakes completely cool before you add the frosting otherwise the frosting will melt 

off the cupcakes. 

Niccoles Happy Kitchen: Sticky Honey Garlic chicken wings

Niccoles Happy Kitchen: Sticky Honey Garlic chicken wings: This weekend we were super busy we went to Santa's Enchanted Forest which is huge Christmas themed carnival down in Miami Florida...

Tabbouleh Salad

Lunch is by far my favorite meal of the day! it's actually the only meal during my day that I can sit alone and chew and digest without having to share, or clean up a spill and break up a fight between the little ones, if you have kids you defiantly know where I'm coming from! eating in peace is a hot commodity!. Today was a bit different though; I decided to whip myself up some Bulgar rice and I was going to have a some chicken on the side (boring! I know!)  so I said to myself "I know there has got to be a way where I can jazz this up!" and low and behold I came across tabbouleh salad which I love, love, love! I hope you all enjoy it just as much as I did! and for the weekend try to make a little extra! it's great for snacking!  Happy eating from my kitchen to yours!

Adapted from: Ina Garten 

What you need:

1 cup bulgar rice

1 1/2 cups boiling water

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)

1/4 cup good olive oil

3 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 cup minced scallions, white and green parts (1 bunch)

1 cup chopped fresh mint leaves (1 bunch)

1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley (1 bunch)

1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and medium-diced

2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

How To: 

Place the bulgar in a large bowl, pour in the boiling water, and add the lemon juice, olive oil, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Stir, then allow to stand at room temperature for about 1 hour.

Add the scallions, mint, parsley, cucumber, tomatoes, 2 teaspoons salt, and the pepper; mix well. Season, to taste, and serve or cover and refrigerate. The flavor will improve if the tabbouleh sits for a few hours.

Funfetti Pancakes

Every weekend I always make the family a huge breakfast, I guess it's my mommy guilt kicking in because during the week we only have time to open to our eyes throw on whatever clothes on that we can find and have a quick bowl of cereal and race out the door.

So on Saturday I was making pancakes for breakfast as I normally do and my daughter and son were helping me prepare them to put on the griddle, when my daughter asks  "can we put sprinkles in them?" and of course I said " why not?! go ahead!" this stroke of genius from my 4 year old was a major hit in our house.  Such a big hit that we even made it again for Sunday morning breakfast!

I hope you all enjoy this as much as we did! they are super simple to make and they are sure to be a hit in your house also!   Happy eating from my kitchen to yours!!




What you need:

2 cups Original Bisquick  mix 

1 cup milk

2 eggs 

2 teaspoons of baking powder 

1/8 teaspoon lemon extract  (a drop)

3 teaspoons of sugar 

1 tablespoon of vanilla extract

1/2 cup of sprinkles 


How to:

• Heat griddle or skillet over medium-high heat or electric griddle to 375°F; grease with cooking spray, vegetable oil or shortening. (Surface is ready when a few drops of water sprinkled on it dance and disappear.)

Stir all ingredients until blended. Pour by slightly less than 1/4 cupfuls onto hot griddle.

Cook until edges are dry. Turn; cook until golden. To keep warm, place in single layer on cookie sheet. Cover with aluminum foil, and place in 200°F oven up to 10 minutes.

Notes:

When stirring ingredients use a wire whisk or fork if any clumps are left over do not worry because they will disappear while cooking.

Shepard's Pie 

Today was a real busy day, I went to my women's group meeting at church and that takes a good 2 hours of my morning and then I had to hit up the grocery store thereafter.  That is when I realized that I hadn't even taken anything out for dinner!  So I decided that I would pick up some ground turkey and a sack of potatoes and shepherds pie immediately came to mind.  This shepard's pie is a bit different than the traditional though,  It is a bit more healthful and it doesn't weigh you down when you're done.  This is a super quick meal to make and you can even opt to make this ahead on the weekend and pop it in the oven on you're busy weeknights.  Happy eating from my kitchen to yours! 

Making the Potatoes what you will need

• 1-1/2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, diced
• 3/4 cup fat free chicken broth
• 2 tbsp fat free sour cream
• salt and pepper
• paprika

The filling

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 tsp oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, diced
• 8 oz mushrooms, diced
• 10 oz frozen mixed vegetables
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 cup fat free beef broth
• 2 tsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp of Italian seasoning 
• salt and pepper

Boil potatoes in water until cooked and soft. Drain and mash with chicken broth, sour cream, salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 400°.

In a large saute pan brown meat. Season with salt and pepper. When cooked, set aside on a plate. Discard any fat in the pan, add oil, onion and garlic and saute on medium heat about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and celery and saute another 3-4 minutes. Add flour, salt and pepper and mix well. Add frozen vegetables, beef broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, thyme, chopped meat and mix well.Simmer on low about 5-10 minutes.

Spread the meat mixture on the bottom of a 11x7 glass baking dish. Top with mashed potatoes, using a fork to scrape the top to make ridges and sprinkle with paprika. Bake 20 minutes or until potatoes turn golden. Remove from oven and let it cool 10-15 minutes before serving.

Note:  Feel free to substitute the ground turkey for any other kind of ground meat that you may prefer.