HOMEMADE CHICKEN AND NOODLES

 Although the following recipe comes from Peggy aboard “Oracle”, it reminds me of the time some other friends had us over to their boat for chicken and noodles. There were homemade noodles, draped over every available surface in their galley and saloon.

Chicken and Broth

1 3 pound chicken, cut up into pieces

4 stalks celery, cut up

1 carrot, sliced

1 onion, chopped

2 T. dried parsley (or 2 sprigs fresh)

1 bay leaf

Salt and Pepper to taste

Place chicken pieces and about 8 cups of water in a large kettle. Add vegetables and spices. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 1 to 2 hours, until chicken is tender. Remove chicken and set aside. Strain broth and discard vegetables. Return broth to kettle. Pull chicken meat from bones and cut into bite sized pieces. Set aside.

Egg Noodles

Don’t be intimidated; homemade noodles are not as hard as you think – just a little messy. Invite some friends to join in the fun! You can sometime find fresh noodles in the grocery store if you need to save a little time.

Measure 2 cups of flour into a bowl – make a hollow spot in the center and add 3 egg yolks, 1 whole egg and 2 tsp. Salt. Mix egg mixture into flour with your hands. Add water (1 Tablespoon at a time) until you can form the dough into a ball. Knead dough for 10 minutes – cover and rest for 10 minutes. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface into a paper thin rectangle. Sprinkle dough with flour and then roll up like a jellyroll from the long side. Cut dough crosswise (as thin as you can) into strips. (They will look like mini cinnamon Rolls). Set aside.

Adding Noodles and Chicken to broth

Bring chicken broth to boil again in the kettle. (Peggy adds a couple drops of yellow food coloring to give the broth a rich look). Add cut-up chicken. One at a time, shake out each noodle and drop into the boiling broth, stirring gently as you add them. Once all the noodles are in the broth, simmer for an additional 12 to 15 minutes.

APPLE AND GOAT CHEESE SALAD

This great tasting fall salad and an easy dessert are all you would need to compliment your chicken and noodles and make a great company meal. You should warn your guests to come with an empty stomach!

Vinaigrette

Combine 2 T. red wine vinegar, ¼ cup oil, 1 T. chopped parsley, 2 T. sugar, and a dash of salt and pepper in a blender. Refrigerate. Shake well before using.

Salad

4 oz. goat cheese, crumbled

Romaine lettuce, torn into small pieces

1-2 apples, peeled, cored and cubed

¼ walnuts

¼ cup dried figs, chopped

Divide lettuce among 4 to 6 plates. Add on chopped figs and walnuts. Add cubed apples, then goat cheese. Sprinkle with vinaigrette and serve.

PEACHES IN RUM SAUCE

½ stick of butter

6 Tablespoons golden brown sugar

1 T. ground cinnamon (optional)

6 ripe peaches, peeled, halved and pitted

2 Teaspoons vanilla extract

¼ cup dark rum

Vanilla Ice cream

Melt butter in skillet, add sugar and cinnamon – cook until sugar begins to dissolve. Add peaches and vanilla. Sauté until peaches are tender – about 5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and stir in rum. Cook until sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Spoon over store-bought or homemade ice cream.

CREAM CHEESE ICE CREAM

For each quart, blend until smooth and freeze in ice cream maker:

8 oz. softened cream cheese

1 cup milk,

1 T. fresh lemon juice

 ¼ cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

½ cup heavy cream.

Chicken with Goat Cheese and Garlic

4 ounces goat cheese, softened

4 Tablespoons fresh basil, slice thin

1 Tablespoon minced garlic

4 each chicken breast half

1 25.5 ounce jar Pasta Sauce (Italian Herb)

3 cloves garlic

3 cups fettuccine, hot, cooked

Combine goat cheese, half of basil and minced garlic. Pound chicken breasts to 1/4 inch thick. Divide cheese mixture among breasts, roll -up and secure with wooden toothpicks. Heat pasta sauce and whole garlic in a skillet over medium heat. Add chicken rolls, cover and cook for 25 minutes. Serve over hot pasta and garnish with remaining basil.

Hot Spiked Cider

4 sticks cinnamon

1 teaspoon whole allspice

1 teaspoon whole clove

7 cups Apple Cider

1/2 cup brown sugar

Rum

Butter

Combine spices in a piece of cheesecloth tied with a string - Combine ingredients in a crock pot. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours. Remove spice bag. Serve in hot mugs with a pat of butter and a shot of rum in each

Crock Pot Hot buttered Rum

2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed

1/2 cup butter

1 pinch salt

3 sticks cinnamon

6 whole clove

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 cups rum

1 pint heavy cream, whipped

Put all ingredients except rum and cream into crock pot. Add 2 quarts hot water. Stir well. Cover pot and cook on LOW for 5 hours. Add rum and stir to blend. Serve from pot in warm mugs with a scoop of whipped cream and a dusting of nutmeg.