Chicken Ramen

Ingredients

For The Soup:

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 onion sliced
• 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger root
• 4 garlic cloves pressed or finely minced
• 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms stems removed and sliced
• 1/2 - 3/4 pounds baby bok choy sliced into quarters lengthwise
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 1-2 packages fresh yakisoba noodles* one package is about 7 ounces. Use two packages if you like lots of noodles. Fresh noodles are usually found in the produce section of the grocery store

For The Ramen Egg**

• 4 eggs
• 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 3/4 cup water

Additional Toppings (Optional)

• sliced green onion
• cilantro
• chili garlic sauce
• sesame seeds
• lime wedges

Instructions

To Prepare The Ramen Egg:

• Whisk together the 1/4 cup of soy sauce, 1/4 cup of rice vinegar and 3/4 cup water, set aside.
• Prepare an ice bath by filling a bowl with ice and water.
• Bring a pot of water to boil (make sure there is enough water to cover the eggs). When boiling, carefully lower the eggs into the water using a slotted spoon or spider. Reduce heat if necessary to keep the water just barely boiling. Cook for 7 minutes, then remove from pot and place eggs in the ice bath. Leave in the ice bath for 3 minutes. Remove from ice bath and gently peel (egg will be soft). Place peeled eggs in the marinade and make sure they are completely covered with the marinade. Leave in the marinade for several hours or overnight. If keeping longer, discard the marinade and store in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Reheat the egg in the ramen broth (don't leave in the broth very long before serving or the egg will overcook).

To Prepare The Noodles:

• If using fresh noodles:
• Bring a pot of water to a boil. When boiling, add the noodles and simmer for 3 minutes. Strain and rinse with cold water. Toss with just a little oil if necessary to keep them from sticking (mine already had a little oil on them, so I didn't need to). Set aside.
• (If using another type of noodle, follow package instructions)

To Prepare The Soup:

• Heat a large pot or dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the onion and sauté until starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms and sauté for another 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and stir fry for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant so that they don't burn. Add the chicken broth and 1 cup of water, soy sauce, rice vinegar, oyster sauce, fish sauce, chili garlic sauce, stir to combine. Bring back to a simmer.
• When broth reaches a simmer, add the chicken thighs. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until chicken is cooked through and reaches a temperature of 165°F.
• Remove the chicken and shred it with two forks. Add it back to the broth along with the bok choy and cook for 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and serve.

To Serve The Ramen:

• In a bowl, place a serving of noodles, then pour the soup over them. Top soup with ramen egg, sliced green onions, cilantro and sesame seeds if desired.

Notes

*Keep the noodles seperate from the soup until just before serving. For leftovers, store the broth and noodles seperately.**The egg is optional but I really recommend it. If you don't have time to marinade the egg, you can just skip the marinading step. You can also serve with a fried or poached egg if you prefer.

Nutrition

Calories: 369kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 235mg | Sodium: 2694mg | Potassium: 925mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 6545IU | Vitamin C: 66.7mg | Calcium: 218mg | Iron: 4.1mg

Nutritional information is an estimate for your convenience. If you have strict nutritional needs, please do your due diligence to make sure this recipe fits your needs.

Hamburger Soup

Ingredients

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 onion , diced
• 2 cloves garlic , minced
• 2 medium potatoes , peeled and diced
• 3 1/2 cups beef broth + better than bouillon to taste
• 1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 can tomato paste
• 1 can condensed tomato soup
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 cups mixed vegetables , fresh or frozen (extra carrots)

Follow Spend with Pennies on Pinterest

Instructions

1. Brown onion, ground beef and garlic until no pink remains. Drain any fat.
2. Add potatoes, broth, tomatoes, tomato soup, Worcestershire sauce, seasoning and bay leaves. Simmer covered 10 minutes.
3. Stir in vegetables. Simmer 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Chicken Taco Soup

Ingredients

• 1 onion
• 1 can chili beans 16oz
• 1 can black beans 15oz
• 1 can whole kernel corn, drained 15oz
• 1 can tomato sauce 8oz
• 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 2 cans diced tomatoes with green chilies 10oz
• 1 pkg taco seasoning
• 2 cups shredded chicken
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1 8oz cheddar cheese shredded
• sour cream, tortilla chips, lime cilantro optional

Instructions

1. Mix onion powder, beans, corn, tomato sauce, broth, diced tomatoes, taco seasoning,and shredded chicken in a slow cooker on low heat. Cover, and cook for 4 hours (or high for 1-2 hours).
2. Serve warm. Additional toppings may included Cheddar cheese, sour cream, lime wedges and crushed tortilla chips, if desired.
3. *Can also be cooked over the stove in a stock pot. Heat for 30 minutes until all ingredients are hot and well blended.
   
   Notes: This soup was super simple. I added more seasonings and some chicken  better than boullion and it turned out scrumptious.

Hobo Stew

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon of oil
• 1 cup of chopped onion
• 1/2 cup of chopped mixed sweet and hot peppers
• 1/2 cup of celery
• 1 tablespoon of minced garlic
• 1-1/2 pounds of ground beef
• 2 tablespoons of all purpose flour
• 1-1/2 cups of beef stock or broth
• 3 (11.5 ounce) cans of original or spicy V-8, or tomato juice
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can of diced tomatoes
• 2 large potatoes, peeled and diced
• 2 cups of fresh diced carrots (about 2 large)
• 2 cups of corn
• 2 cups of cut green beans
• Dash of Worcestershire sauce
• Couple dashes of hot sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning (like Slap Ya Mama), or to taste, optional
• 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper, or to taste

Instructions

In the bottom of a Dutch oven or other heavy pot, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the onion, peppers and celery; cook and stir until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and ground beef, cook and stir until meat is browned and cooked through. Drain off excess fat. Sprinkle meat with flour; cook and stir for 3 minutes. Add the beef stock, V-8 juice and diced tomatoes. Stir in the potatoes, carrots, corn and green beans. Add Worcestershire, hot sauce and seasonings to taste. Stir, cover and simmer over medium to medium low (low bubble) for 1-1/2 to 2 hours, or until veggies are tender, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Hobo stew can be served as is, or spooned over rice or mashed potatoes. Serve with hot cornbread, biscuits or rolls.

Cook's Notes: Use other meats such as stew meat, venison, bacon, Italian sausage, smoked sausage, andouille or kielbasa - all good choices. If using a stewing type of meat, allow it to cook in the base veggies and juice for about 1 hour before adding in the vegetables. Use fresh or frozen vegetables, or may substitute 1 can of drained carrots, corn and cut green beans or use a variety of other vegetables or beans, such as mixed vegetables, shredded cabbage, black-eyed peas, pinto beans, hominy, turnips, kidney beans, great northern beans, lima beans. You'll want around 5 to 6 cups fresh or frozen, or about 3 (15 ounce) cans. If using canned vegetables, allow the potatoes and carrots to cook for 30 minutes before adding in the canned vegetables.

Also okay to use lower sodium or spicy V-8, but taste stew to adjust seasonings up or down as needed. If using spicy, take into consideration hot peppers and other spicy seasonings you use. May also substitute a can of Rotel tomatoes for the diced, if desired.

Crockpot: Saute the vegetables and brown the meat as above; add that along with the remaining ingredients to a 6 quart slow cooker, cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours or until veggies are tender.

Variation: To convert to a Hobo Soup, increase the beef stock/broth to about 4 cups or to desired consistency.

Notes: I used steak instead of hamburger and the second time I made it I just used vegetables. I also cut out the oil and didn't bother sauteing anything. Very yummy. 

Italian Sausage & Kale Soup

- 1/4 c. Extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 lb mild Italian Sausage
- 1 med. white or yellow onion
- 2 carrots peeled and chopped
- 4 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 1/2 tsp thyme
- 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes (drained)
- 4 c. Vegetable Broth
- 2 c. Water
- 1 tsp salt
- black pepper (as desired)
- kale (ribs removed and chopped)
- juice from 1 medium lemon
- noodles of your choice (I like Ditali)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Warm the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. One-fourth cup olive oil may seem like a lot, but it adds a lovely richness and heartiness to this nutritious soup. In a separate pot boil some water and add the noodles. Cook noodles until aldente and set aside.
2. Once the oil is shimmering, add the chopped onion, sausage and carrot and cook, stirring often, until the onion has softened and is turning translucent, and sausage is almost or fully cooked. (It will finish in the pot.) Add the garlic, cumin, curry powder and thyme. Cook until fragrant while stirring constantly, about 30 seconds. Pour in the drained diced tomatoes and cook for a few more minutes, stirring often, in order to enhance their flavor.
3. Pour in the vegetable broth and water. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper. Raise heat and bring the mixture to a boil, then partially cover the pot and reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. 
4. Add the chopped greens. Cook for 5 more minutes, or until the greens have softened to your liking. 
5. Remove the pot from heat and stir in the juice of half of a lemon. Taste and season with more salt, pepper and/or lemon juice until the flavors really sing. At this point I add my noodles. to my bowl verses the pot. if you add them to the soup they will absorb all of the britg if yiu have any left overs. So I keep mine separate. Serve immediately. 

Mom Tobler's Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Chicken Noodle soup

I love making homemade Chicken soup. It's fast (almost as fast as opening a can of Campbells) to make, especially if you have leftover chicken. It's a throw together dish..I don't measure. It's wonderful ( so much better than Campbell's that it's not even comparable). It's guilt free...eat as much as you want and you won't blow your diet. And it's scientifically proven to cure whatever ails you.

(these measurements are just approximate...for those that feel more secure with measurements.)

8 cups water (or homemade broth*)
3 Tbsp. Chicken base/bouillon (1 tbs. if using homemade chicken broth)
Cooked chicken ( whatever you have leftover)
1/4 onion finely chopped (optional)
1 small garlic clove (optional.. I don't like the onion and garlic to overpower the other flavors)
3 carrots, sliced (not the ones used to make broth...flavor is out of those)
2 celery, chopped
1/4 tsp. Thyme
1/8 tsp. ground sage ...just sprinkle it until you feel good in your heart.
1/8 tsp. white pepper ...a few shakes
fresh ground black pepper
Salt to taste...it usually has enough salt from the bouillon for my tastes.

Egg noodles - a couple big handfuls

Simmer until noodles and carrots are tender.

Sometimes I add broccoli after the noodles are cooked. Broccoli cooks enough just from the heat of the broth after the heat is turned off and the soup is waiting to be served.

*Homemade Chicken Broth:
Boil chicken with onion, celery,carrot, garlic until chicken is cooked. run broth through a fine sieve for a clear broth. Chop chicken for soup or other dishes and toss the veggies away...but I alway eat the carrots while I'm cooking:)

My favorite egg noodles are homemade but these are a close second:
I find them at Walmart with the dry pasta, usually on the bottom shelf.

This is my favorite bouillon!I use it when a recipe calls for canned broth, bouillon or I use it undiluted to just add more favor to gravies and sauces.
Walmart here (Las Vegas) carries small jars of it. Or I can find large jars at Smart and Final (here) or Costco in St. George, UT. I try to keep several jars ahead for food storage.

Dumplings for Soup

 We and by we and mean Mom Tobler has attempted this soup before with great success so I thought I would make my attempt with very close supervision. First we had to make the dumplings or "Gnocchi".

2 qt Water (enough to cover boil potatoes those Italians are thorough)
6 oz Flour
2 eggs
2 lbs russet potatoes
2 tsp salt

1. Wash and boil potatoes until tender. Place in refrigerator and allow to cool.

2. Peel potatoes and put through a fine grater. Do not over mash or they will get tough.

3. Measure out 6 oz of flour.4. Combine Potatoes, Flour, Eggs in a mixing bowl. Mix until dough no longer sticks to your fingers.

As you can see once again I messed up some how. It was inevitable. My dough was super sticky. To prevent this throughly drain and dry your potatoes. We also used 2 large eggs which may have contributed to how moist our dough was. In our attempt to make it not so sticky we added at least 3 more cups of flour.

5. Once your dough no longer sticks to your fingers, divide dough into 4 section and roll into a long rope. Cut rope into 1/2" pieces. Press fork lines into each dumpling for a classic look. We skipped that step and did things a little more practically with the center of a doughnut cutter. 6. Place Dumplings in a pot of boiling water. Boil until they float.

7. Remove. We made several dumplings and then froze them for quick soup at a later date.

Tomato Chicken Rice Soup

Tomato Chicken Rice Soup

A very comforting chicken rice soup loaded with flavors and vitamins. A true homemade remedy for cold.

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 6 chicken drumsticks
• 2 carrots, cut in thick slices
• 5 cloves garlic
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 6 cups water for the broth
• 2 cups water for the soup
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tomatoes, ¾ cup when pureed
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon dried mint
• ½ cup rice
• ¼ cup boiled corn
• 1 cup roughly chopped spinach
• 1 lemon, squeezed
• 1 teaspoon salt

 

Instructions

1. Boil chicken drumsticks with carrot, garlic cloves and black pepper in 6 cups of water until tender.
2. Remove the chicken from the broth and shred.
3. Heat olive oil in a deep pot. Saute pureed tomatoes and Homemade Tomato Paste with dried mint in it.
4. Pour 2 cups of pure water and the chicken broth including carrot and garlic into the pot. Add rice when it boils. Cook until tender.
5. Add shredded chicken, chickpeas and corn. Let it simmer for 5-10 minutes.
6. Finally add in the spinach, lemon juice and salt. Simmer for a few minutes.
7. Serve hot with croutons.

Notes

If the soup gets thicker when it gets cold, just add in some hot water and then heat the soup stirring occasionally
- Stick to only half a cup of rice and serve once it's cooked. I waited and the rice fell all apart. I might like to replace rice with home made dumplings. I excluded the mint and only added 1/2 tsp of lemon juice. I couldn't taste it so I wold try adding more next time. I love the spinach and I added celery. I didn't make my own broth but that would be good to try next time. 

Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Ingredients

Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie Soup:
• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 1/2 cups frozen, mixed vegetables
• 3 cups cubed potatoes
• 3 1/2 cups cream of chicken soup (homemade recipe below OR use 2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup plus 1 cup of water)
• Optional: 1/2 cup instant mashed potato flakes OR 2 tbsp cornstarch + 3 tbps cold water
• Tbsp of chicken bouillon
Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup:
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 7 tsp chicken bouillon
• 1/2 cup half n half
• 1 cup milk
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp minced onion flakes
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic
• 1/4 tsp parsley

Instructions

Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie Soup:
1. Start by cutting about two pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts into cubes and place them in your crock pot.
2. Top with about 2 1/2 cups of frozen, mixed vegetables.
3. Add 3 cups of cubed potatoes.
4. Top it all with about 3 1/2 cups of cream of chicken soup.
5. Mix it all together and cook on high for about 6 hours. 
6. Before removing from pot stir in a tbsp of better than bouillon to kick up the flavor a bit.
7. Although the soup will thicken a bit as it cools, you can thicken it more if you want using 1/2 cup of instant mashed potato flakes or using cornstarch. To use cornstarch, mix together 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and 3 tablespoons of cold water. Stir the mixture into the chicken pot pie soup. Put the lid back on and allow the soup to thicken for about 10 minutes. This method will only work if your soup is simmering or boiling slowly. If your crock pot isn't that hot, stir in instant mashed potato flakes, put the lid back on and allow the soup to thicken for a couple of minutes. 
Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup:
8. In a small bowl, whisk together flour and milk until smooth. Set aside.
9. Bring water and half-n-half to a boil over medium high heat.
10. Stir in chicken bouillon and reduce heat to medium.
11. Slowly pour in the milk and flour mixture in a steady stream while stirring constantly.
12. Add the seasonings and continue heating, stirring constantly, until thickened. 

Notes:
This was delicious. Full of flavor, hearty and perfect for a chilly fall day! 

Hamburger Soup

Ingredients:
- 3/4 lb ground beef (cooked)
- 1/2 onion
- 2 carrots
- 1 1/2 sticks of celery
- 1/4 cup barley
- 1/2 can of petite diced tomatoes
- 1 cup water
- 1 1/2 cups beef broth
- 1 can tomato soup
- 1 bay leaf
-1 1/2 tsp parsley
- 1/2 tsp garlic (minced)
- 1/4 tsp thyme
- Pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Brown meat. Add to pot (remove grease).
2. Chop Vegetables. Add to pot.
3. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer for at least 4 hours.

Lemongrass Soup

Broth:
- 1 can coconut milk
- 2-3 cups chicken stock
- pinch of salt
- 1 tsp palm sugar (I usually substitute brown sugar)
- 2 stalks fresh lemongrass, wash and chopped in chunks. (If using dry- punch it up with extra lime juice and zest, if your forced to go this route.)
- 3 red shallots, peeled and chucked (I often substitute 3 smashed garlic cloves plus a bit of onion)
- 2 coriander roots, scraped (I usually substitute a pinch of whole coriander seed plus a handful of fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves)
- 1.5 inch chunks of galanga root, chunked (ginger is in the same family but tastes  totally different- galanga TOTALLY makes the favor of this dish. Asian markets should have it. It freezes well too.)
- 3 Kaffir lime leaves, coarsely chopped. (You can substitute lime zest if necessary but it won't be as fragrant and complex)
-1 tsp chili garlic sauce (optional and kind of a cheat but often good.)

Chunks:
-1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 1' pieces. (You can use breasts but thighs are juicer and tastier. 
- 1 cup chopped mushrooms (your choice- mix it up)
- 1-3 tbsp fish sauce. (This stuff is pungent- if you're not familiar add incrementally and tatste before increasing. But don't be turned off by the smell. It adds a key flavor that softens when you add it to the soup.)
- 1 can baby corn, drained and chopped (optional)

Finish:
- 1 tbsp lime juice (more if compensating - see notes above)
- 1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped
1.2 cup grape tomatoes halved, or two plum tomatoes chopped. (optional)

Notes: This made the house stink for days but all of the men enjoyed it. :)