Best Remedy: Chicken Soup

I have realized that nearly every post beings with me talking about my family. I think this is because 1. I miss them terribly and 2. cooking is a family affair in our house. We do our best to eat most of our meals together--DEFINITELY dinner! It's something I look forward to all day. Nothing makes me happier than when my sister is helping set the table, my mom is cooking something divine on the stove, I'm chopping the salad, and my dad is with my brothers grilling outside (and typically calling my name to bring him the tongs or bowl he almost always forgets to take out with him). Sometimes my grandparents who live a few blocks away will surprise us around this time and join us. Then we all sit around the dinner table together while the dogs perfect their begging skills (they've gotten pretty darn good). It is dinner time--It makes the you forget the bad parts of your day and just be happy.

In our family, we each have our "speciality." I'm the salad connoisseur, my grandmother makes incredible...everything really (not fair!), and my mother is known for her Chicken Soup. This is my attempt at washing away the day's worries with what I know to be the best remedy--Chicken Soup.

What you'll need:

- 4 large carrots, cleaned and cut into thirds
- 4 pieces of celery, cut into thirds
- 1 bunch of dill
- 1 medium onion, cleaned and quartered
- 1-2 lbs of chicken with bones (you can use any part you like. I prefer dark meat)
- 2 large tablespoon of chicken bouillon
- water

How you make it:

Place all of the ingredients in a large pot, making sure to place the dill in last. Fill the remaining space in the pot with water and place on HI heat. Once it comes to a boil, lower the heat to medium-low. Make sure that it is NOT boiling! Let it simmer for hours, periodically removing any foam that may form at the top.

Serve with any noodle of your preference or throw in some matzo balls!!! Nothing is better than this. Absolutely NOTHING.

Super Bowl CONVERSION -- Make these recipes your own!

I LOVE the Super Bowl! Being completely honest, it's not for the game -- it's for the time with friends and family and the excuse to absolutely SPLURGE on tasty snacks! Here are two recipes I highly suggest you try out next time you have a reason to go above and beyond. The bread is pretty simple, but the nachos get a little complicated (but they were SO worth it!)

Cheesy Bacon Ranch Bread

What you'll need:

- 1 loaf of tasty bread (I used country white, but sourdough sounds awesome)

- 1 stick of butter, melted

- 1 package of Ranch dressing seasoning

- bacon, cooked until crunchy and chopped

- shredded cheese of your choosing (I used parmesan but would recommend cheddar or swiss)

How you make it:

Start by slicing the bread in both directions, but not cutting all the way through. The loaf should stay intact. Stuff the crevices with the bacon bits and cheese. Mix the Ranch seasoning with the melted butter, and pour the mixture over the entire loaf. Wrap in foil and bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Then remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes. Then serve!!! Yummy, I'm craving this again already!

Buffalo Chicken Bacon Nachos


These are divine. No. They are BEYOND divine! SO. INCREDIBLY. GOOD. GAHHHHHHH!!! I want more and more and more.

 Look, just gaze at its wonderfulness--how beautiful is it?!

 PURE BLISS!

What you need:
- 1 bag of tortilla chips
- 2 chicken breast
- one 8oz bottle of Buffalo Sauce
- cilantro, chopped
- green onion, chopped
- red pepper flakes
- 3 cups of shredded cheese
- 1/3 cup of milk
- 1/4 cup of heavy cream
- black pepper
- jalapenos, diced
- blue cheese crumbles
- 1 cup of bacon, cooked and diced
- sour cream

How you make it:

Start by pouring the entire bag of tortilla chips into a deep dish baking pan and set aside. Next, cook the chicken breasts, dice or shred them, and then mix them in a bowl with the entire bottle of buffalo sauce. Let the chicken marinade while you make the queso.

In a small sauce pan mix together the cheese, milk, heavy cream, red pepper flakes, and black better. Make sure to be continuously stirring the mixture or else it will burn and be ruined. When the mixture is completely melted, pour the chicken over the tortillas (reserving some of the sauce for later) and then cover with the queso. Sprinkle the bacon over the entire thing and then add some extra shredded cheese on top. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. After removing the nachos from the oven, sprinkle with blue cheese, diced jalapenos, chopped cilantro and green onion. Pour the extra buffalo sauce over the top and add a few dollops of sour cream. Serve immediately! Watch how fast they disappear!

Emily got the first bite. LUCKY GIRL! 

Chicken TORTilla Soup

I got a crock pot! Time to mess around, woohooo! Tortilla soup is my first adventure! It turned out pretty well and it was super simple. Just set it, and forget it!

What you'll need:
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breast
- 2 cans crushed tomatoes
- 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 small can of diced jalapenos OR green chiles (jalapenos will make it pretty spicy!)
- 2 cups of water
- 2 cans of low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 tbsp crushed garlic
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp cumin
- handful of fresh cilantro, chopped

How you make it:
Ridiculously easy to make! Put all of the ingredients (minus the chicken) into a crock pot. Mix it all around, and then place the chicken breasts on top. Cover and set on low for 5-6 hours.

When it's done, shred the chicken, mix, and serve! Top with sour cream, cheese, and tortilla chips!