Food for Friday

When I was thinking about content for my latest post, I thought about an Instastory I did back in late October.  I was talking about one of my favorites recipes, Chicken Soup.  During the story I asked viewers if they would like to see my recipes, cooking tips, and just food in general and the answer was yes!  Well, after a few months I am finally getting together a food post for you guys!  I know, I know…  it took me a long time to get this going, but working, momming, holiday season, etc… it has been a whirlwind.

Growing up in an Italian household, food was the center of my family’s universe.  If cooking was an Olympic sport my mom, grandma and great-grandma would be gold medalists!  Food was all about the ‘experience’ growing up rather than quickly eating and running to the next thing.  Oh no, we ate a three course meal each and every night.  Meals would consist of some sort of pasta dish, meat/fish and of course fruit.  We ate slowly, discussed the days events and watched the RAI channel (Italian news station) so that my parents and grandparents could keep up with the latest news from their homeland of Italy.  Every night, no matter what time it was, we would all sit down as a family and eat dinner.  (And when I say all I mean – my parents, sister, grandma, grandpa and great-grandma;))  Any argument my family would have surrounded, you guessed it, food!  lol For example, if the pasta was overcooked or if the meat was under cooked, when I think about it, it was pretty funny.  When I started dating my husband, he would often come over to eat dinner with us and there was a lot of Italian spoken.  I always translated as much as a could, but after years of dating he would tell me he didn’t need help anymore because he understood what everyone was saying.  My response …  How?  He said, simple, you guys are always talking about food!  Can’t say I disagree with that fact!

Needless to say, now raising my family in my own home, I continue to carry on family food traditions.  I am committed to cooking on a daily basis.  Is it hard sometimes, absolutely!  However, cooking is really a relaxing activity for me and I love creating meals my family will enjoy.  I try my best to plan out a weekly menu.  Sometimes I tend to fall into a schedule rotating my menu every few weeks to give variety to my meals.  As a working mom and constantly on the go, I try my best to plan my meals ahead and even cook over the weekends for the following week.

Welcome to my kitchen!  Below are details on how to make the perfect and tasty chicken soup your loved ones will gobble up.  The most difficult part of sharing my recipes is the exact ingredients and measurements of every ingredient.  Remember, I grew up with “it’s easy…  you put a little of this and a little of that.”  Over the years I have written down the recipes, so I can pass along to my children one day.  Ok, here we go!

Step 1:  The Ingredients / Prep

*4 packages of organic skinless chicken including breast, drumsticks and thighs (I use Bell and Evans or Nature’s Promise, however your local supermarket may have a different brand)
*6-8 medium sized Carrots
*1 bunch of Celery hearts
*4-5 Plum Tomatoes
*1 medium Onion (yellow or vidalia)
*Parsley 1-2 tablespoons
*Red pepper, to taste
*2-4 Bullion cubes
*1 lb of broad egg noodle pasta  (or any pasta you prefer for soup) 

Step 2:  The Procedure

Add water to your stock pot (I use a 16 quart pot (linked below) as I like to make a large amount of soup at once) approximately a little above half of the pot.  Add the chicken, carrots, celery hearts, tomatoes (whole), onion (sliced thin), parsley, pepper, and two of the bullion cubes.  Simmer on medium-high for about 2 – 2 1/2 hours, constantly stirring.  At the 2 hour mark you can begin removing the chicken from the pot and set aside.  When the chicken is removed I suggest adding some of the soup so the meat does not dry out.  At this point allow the vegetables to boil a few more minutes and then remove and place them in a bowl, separate from the chicken.  Taste the soup, and if necessary, add the remaining bullion if the flavor needs a little boost 😉

I then puree the vegetables to a sauce like consistency and add to the noodles prior to serving.  The reason I puree was really to trick my kids in eating the veggies!  I called it (and still call it) Halloween / fall sauce because of the orange color and they totally fell for it and eat everything on their plate!  As far as the chicken, you serve two ways:  shredded and included in the soup OR you can add a little more flavor by sauteing the chicken in oil, adding salt, oregano and the stock and saute until chicken is golden brown.  I usual top the soup with percorino cheese for a additional yummy flavor!  Serve and Enjoy!

Thank you so much for stopping by and reading our first food post!  Hope you enjoy and if you make the soup, please let us know by leaving a comment.  Also, if you have any questions about the above recipe please do not hesitate to reach out.

XOXO

Silvia’s outfit and product details: