Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

It's the time of year where the weather is cold and all I want to do some days is curl up with a good book and a bowl of soup. My mom first made this recipe and we have loved it ever since. The soup is a classic comfort food, but definitely a bit time consuming. This is best to make on a day or evening when you are at home anyway since it has long simmer times. The egg noodles make a big difference here, so try finding them for this recipe. They have a slightly different flavor than traditional pastas.

Pin It Now!

Leek and Gruyere Quiche

Quiches are a great thing to make when you have extra cheese and veggies hanging around in your fridge. While I was visiting my parents I went grocery shopping and bought a few things that were already in the house. With a whole lot of gruyere and some extra leek from another recipe, my mom decided it was time for a quiche. Since she's a great cook, I love following her lead in the kitchen.

We started taking out what we were going to use when my mom taught me a little trick to keep the quiche somewhat healthier (though I doubt any quiche with a pie crust can ever be considered healthy). Instead of using half and half or some cream, she added a bit of flour to low-fat milk and added an extra egg to the recipe. This way you still have a great cheesy filling, but without as much added fat and fewer calories. The flavor is great and it reheats well if you have any leftovers.

Pin It Now!

Simple Potato Leek Soup

What I love about this Martha Stewart recipe (aside from how easy it is to make), is the creamy texture she creates without using any cream or other heavy dairy product. The flavor of the leeks come though without being overwhelmed by the potatoes. Even when there is a massive pot of this soup in the kitchen for days I don't seem to get sick of it. This soup also tastes great days after you make it and it freezes well too.

If you've never worked with leeks before, makes sure you really wash them thoroughly. After you slice them, push apart the rings before washing. You'll be surprised how much dirt gets stuck between the layers of leeks. Aside from this step, there really isn't anything difficult about this soup. If you're really starving when you make this, you could get away with keeping the heat higher in the final step of simmering and cooking the potatoes until they are tender. I've made this soup when I didn't have a blender available before and still found it to be great. I hand mashed some of the potatoes in the pot to try making the texture a little creamier and that worked alright. You definitely do not need to garnish this soup with anything if you're not too worried about a colorful presentation. I bet a dollop of sour cream would also go well as another garnish option.

Pin It Now!