Italian Chicken Noodle Soup

The cold and flu has hit my house hard. I am still healthy, but my hubby not so much, and my daughter is sick too, which means she comes to stay with me so I can nurture her back to health and make her my famous Chicken Noodle Soup. 

I have been told many times that I make the best chicken noodle soup. I sometimes even tell myself when I am sick and forced to eat soup from a restaurant. I always wish someone would make me my soup instead, but I have not taught anyone how I do it. Even though it is not hard to do, when I am sick, I am usually too sick to try to show someone. So I am finally writing down my simple recipe that is sure to comfort the sick. Enjoy!

Italian Chicken Noodle Soup

1 lb. Italian chicken sausage

2 Tbsp Olive oil

8 cups chicken broth

1 onion

3 carrots

2 celery stalks

1/2 Tbsp garlic, minced

1 Tbsp Italian seasoning

1 bay leaf

Cooked Ditalini pasta, or pasta of your choice.

salt and pepper to taste

I first start out by making a mirepoix. It is a combination of onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. The base to any really good soup. Chop them up into similar size pieces, except the garlic should be minced. Add olive oil to a skillet and add the mirepoix. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Cook stirring often until onions are translucent. 

Meanwhile cook your pasta according to package directions. 

I like using ditalini, but you can use whatever noodles you like. 

Drain. 

In a large stockpot, add your chicken broth, cooked vegetables, Italian seasoning, and a bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer. 

Meanwhile brown your chicken sausage.

Remove the bay leaf from the stock. 

Add your sausage and noodles to the stock, and serve. 

French Onion Soup

Are you just maintaining your relationship? Or are you nourishing it, growing it, making it thrive? Just maintaining will get you nowhere. Unfortunately we are human and too much of the same thing gets boring. Romantic tip: Spice it up! Don't just maintain your relationship today. Do something that will make him or her feel special and loved. 

My husband loves french onion soup. It is one of his favorites. The soup is not hard to make, it is just time consuming. So I don't make it for him as much as I should. The crunchy toast on top, covered in cheese, just makes this soup amazing. It is a perfect comfort food.

This recipe is not just for two. Well it is, but it is enough that you will have plenty leftover in the fridge. It lasts 1 week in the fridge in an airtight container. It is even better the next day, just wait to add the toast and cheese until time of serving.  Enjoy! 

French Onion Soup

adapted from Bon Appétit | October 2013

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

6 large onions (about 5 pounds), thinly sliced

2 large shallots, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

4 sprigs flat-leaf parsley

2 sprigs thyme

1 bay leaf

8 cups beef, chicken or vegetable broth

8 1/4 "-thick slices country bread, toasted

8 ounces sliced Gruyère

Slice up your onions. 

Heat butter in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add onions, shallots, and garlic; 

season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and dark brown, 60–70 minutes. 

Add vermouth and vinegar. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until slightly reduced, about 3 minutes.

Tie parsley, thyme, and bay leaf with kitchen twine; add to pot along with broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 8 cups, 35–40 minutes; discard herb bundle.

Preheat oven to 450°F. Place ovenproof bowls on a large rimmed baking sheet. Divide soup among bowls and top with toasts (cut to fit if necessary) and cheese.

 Bake until cheese is bubbling and golden brown, 6–8 minutes.

New England Clam Chowder from scratch

There is something powerful about the moonlight. I think Kenny Chesney got it right in the song "When the sun goes down". Everything truly does get hotter. Most of the time, we snuggle in and don't bother going out in the moonlight. Occasionaly, we get out there and it is almost always magical. Especially along the water. Seeing the moon reflect off the water is a peaceful romantic thing. I highly recommend you get out there and experience it with your love. 

Romantic Tip: Take a moonlit walk on the beach, bay, lake, or any other romantic place.

Getting on the water for us, almost always means we will stop at the Brig for our favorite New England Clam Chowder. I have yet to find a better chowder here in San Diego. So I decided to learn how to make it from scratch like them at home. That's right. I mean completely from scratch. No canned clams here. It is actually easy, so don't be intimidated. 

New England Clam Chowder from scratch

adapted from http://norecipes.com

2 pounds fresh clams 

1/2 cup fresh water

1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 ounces bacon cut into 1/8 in. slices

1/2 medium onion minced

1 tablespoon flour

1 1/2 cups milk

1/2 lb. potatoes of your choice cut into small cubes

1/2 teaspoon fresh marjoram minced

1 bay leaf

2 Tbsp butter

The day before: As soon as you bring your clams home from the store wash the clams with cold water and then put the clams in a bowl with enough salt water to cover the clams ( it should taste like the sea). 

Put the bowl in your refrigerator. Over the next 24 hours your clams will do their thing and siphon in the clean water expelling most of the grit they hold between their shells. If your clams are really dirty, you may need to change the water periodically.

In a wide pot or sauté pan with a lid, add the clams along with 1/2 cup fresh water. Cover and steam over medium high heat until all the clams have opened. 5 - 10 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and uncover. 

Remove the clam meat from the shells and transfer to a bowl. Discard any unopened clams. Once all the clams have been shelled, slowly pour the clam stock over the clams, leaving the last tablespoon or so of stock along with any grit in the pot. Wash the pot out. 

Agitate the clam mixture to allow any sand to settle to the bottom of the bowl, then let it sit for a minute to allow all the sand to settle to the bottom. Use your fingers or a slotted spoon to scoop the clams off the top of the liquid being careful not to disturb the sand at the bottom. Once you have all the meat separated, give the stock a few minutes to settle, then slowly pour the clam stock into a 2 cup liquid measuring cup, leaving the last bit of stock and any grit behind. You should have 2 cups clam juice, if you have less, add water to make 2 cups. 

Add the olive oil and bacon to the clean pot and fry until most of the fat has rendered from the bacon and it is starting to brown ( but not until its crisp). 

Add the onions and sauté until the are tender and browned. Add the flour and continue frying for 1 minute. 

Turn off the heat, then add the clam stock and milk. Whisk together to dissolve the roux, and then add the potatoes, marjoram and bay leaf. Put the pot over medium heat and bring the pot to a low simmer. Do not let the soup boil. 

When the potatoes are tender, remove the bay leaf and return the clams to the pot. Once the clams have reheated the soup is done.