Easy Chicken Noodle Soup

I got this yummy recipe off of the WW App on my iPhone. I don't subscribe online, but you can access several recipes every week. Check it out!

I am a bit delayed in this post because I was traveling to see family this weekend. My Mom Mom passed away in January and we had her memorial this weekend. My grandfather is also very sick, so I visited him as well. Please excuse my boggled mind!

Onto to cooking!

You'll need:
2 tsp salted butter
1 large uncooked onion(s), finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp table salt, divided
64 oz reduced-sodium chicken broth
4 oz uncooked pasta, small shape such as ditalini (about 1 cup)
10 oz frozen mixed vegetables, such as peas, carrots, corn and green beans
15 oz canned tomatoes, petite cut, rinsed and drained
6 oz cooked skinless, boneless chicken breast(s), chopped
1 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup(s) chives, fresh, chopped (optional)

Missing from picture is lemon juice (I think that's it). You'll have to pardon my airheadedness, it was a long weekend! 

I didn't have any cooked chicken in the fridge, so I had to cook some up. 

While you are cooking the chicken, dice up your onion pretty finely. I still haven't figured out the best way to cut up an onion. 

In a large pot, melt 2 tsp of butter. In the picture you'll see 2 tbs because I had a blonde moment! I was thinking that it was nice to have all that butter in a WW recipe! But I was wrong!

Just so you know, I did take out some of the butter! I didn't cheat! Add your onions and stir them off and on for 10 minutes. Also, add 1/2 tsp of salt!

Increase the heat and add your broth! Bring to a boil. 

While you are waiting for that to boil, drain and rinse your tomatoes. 

Once your broth is boiling, stir in the pasta. I just used some left over Orzo pasta I had in the pantry. You can use anything you'd like, but I'd use a smaller pasta. 

Add your frozen veggies. 

And the tomaters (as I like to call 'em). 

Boil that until the pasta is cooked 7-10 minutes. 

Stir in the remaining ingredients. Not in any particular order. I started with the chicken. 

Cheese!

Chives/Green onions! You know I love these!

Last 2 tsp of salt. 

Lemon...

Lastly, pepper!

Enjoy!

Makes 8 servings!

Points Plus = 4

I have no idea how many calories because I never did the points plus.....anyone know?

My Mom Mom loved to cook, and I think she'd be proud of my little cooking adventures. 

I don't have any great photos of her on my computer, but this was the beautiful cake we had made for her memorial. 

I miss you Mom Mom. 

Tortellini in Chicken Broth

The hubby and I haven't been feeling well this weekend, so I thought some soup would be appropriate.

This recipe is super easy! I doubled my recipe because I had enough and I wanted to put some in the freezer.

If you make the regular recipe you'll need:
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups frozen cheese tortellini
1 cup slivered watercress leaves
2 scallions, sliced
3 drops hot red pepper sauce (optional)
2 tbs grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
Ground Pepper
2/3 cups water

In a sauce pan, add your 2 cups chicken broth (I doubled mine, so it looks like a lot more and I used a bigger sauce pan).

Add your 2/3 cup of water and bring to a boil.

While you are waiting for the broth and water to boil, go ahead and start slicing up your scallions. I love scallions. Seriously, that's probably one of the big reasons I picked this recipe today!

I'm not sure if you are supposed to take the leaves off the steams, but I just chopped the watercress like it was. Just a coarse chop. Don't go too crazy.

Once you're broth is boiling, reduce it to a simmer. Cook your tortellini as instructed on the package. Mine said to boil for 3 minutes. I thought it wasn't going to be long enough, but it was!

After that boils, add your watercress and scallions. Let them simmer for about 2 minutes.

Take it off the heat and add a few drops of the hot sauce (if you dare)!

And pepper. I love pepper too!

I divided out my soup before I added the cheese on top.

And wa-la!

Enjoy! It's seriously good! It tastes like wonton soup!

4 WW points (old school) or 211 calories.

I will especially on this cold, dreary day.

Senegalese Peanut Soup

It has been a week.

A little over  a week ago my grandmother ,"Mom Mom", passed away. That took its toll on me through the week.

On my way home on Friday, my car literally turned off in the lane of the bank and wouldn't start back up. So, it's sitting at the VW dealer waiting to be worked on tomorrow.

Needless to say, it has been a crazy week. But onto cooking. A distraction from the craziness.

I don't even know how to pronounce the name of this soup, but it tastes good!

You'll need:
15 oz. chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 tbs creamy peanut butter
1 tsp peanut oil
2 onions (chopped)
1 inch piece peeled ginger root, chopped
1 1/2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
14 1/2 oz. can diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

First, chop up your onions, and put them in a bowl to the side.

I'm not going to lie, I've been avoiding recipes that have ginger root in them. Mostly because they scare me. They look like antlers! Secondly, I don't really like ginger, and I don't think I'd use it again in the recipe. But go ahead and chop it up if you like it! I used about a tsp of it.

Go ahead and drain & rinse your chick peas. Then put them in the blender.

Put 1/2 cup of the chicken broth in the blender.

And the peanut butter- yummmm :)

Puree all those ingredients. Put it to the side.

In a large sauce pan, head up the peanut oil. I've never used peanut oil before...but I guess it worked out fine!

Add the onions & ginger root (if you're using it). Saute for about 7-8 minutes.

Add your curry powder (go heavy). And stir in.

Then, add your cumin.

This part wasn't in the original recipe, but I didn't really want the chunks of onion in my recipe. So I added it to the peanut-chick pea puree and pureed it together.

Then put it back in the sauce pan and add the rest of your chicken broth.

Lastly, add the diced tomatoes and heat it all up!

It tastes good :)

Ok, I lied. One last thing. As always, I divide mine into the 4 servings for lunch and sprinkled the cayenne pepper on top then.

Enjoy!

4 WW points (old school) or 215 calories!

Let's hope this sends good vibes my way because I sure could use them!

Cream Ham and Rice Soup

What do you do with your left over ham?

The hubby's work gives him a Smithfield ham every year and I decided that it was my wifely duties to cook it up this year! I've never cooked a ham, turkey, or anything of the sort. I had no need or want to, but I figured it being my 1st year of marriage, I thought it would be a good time to start.

So I cooked the ham the other day and made my mom's mashed potatoes to go with it, but we have  TON left over!

See!

So, my search on Pintrest started to find what I could make with all this left over ham. I came across this recipe for soup!

Lately, it has been warm where we live, but when it eventually gets cold it'll be nice to take it out of the freezer on a cold day.

I doubled the original recipe, so if you want just a little, use the link.

You will need:

4 cups cooked rice (I used brown)

7 cups of chicken broth (I use low sodium and it tastes just fine)

2 green scallions chopped

2 generous cups of chopped ham

2 cups of shredded carrots

12 tbs butter

2/3 cup of flour

2 cups of half and half

Dash of salt and pepper

While you are cooking up your rice, go ahead and start chopping up your ham. Note: I cooked my rice in the microwave and it was a little messy. You might want to cook it on the stove. 

I love the smell of scallions, they are my newest favorite thing to cook with! But they do wilt fast, so don't buy them too far in advance. Chop 'em up!

While you are chopping up your delicious smelling scallions (green onion), start melting the butter in a big sauce pan. Then add your scallions. 

Add your carrots too. Let them simmer in the wonderful butter for a bit!

You'll need to add the flour next, but careful to stir it quickly and don't let it clump up.

Get your chicken broth ready. Add it slowly and let it come to a boil. Once it boils, let it simmer for about 2 minutes.

Once it's boiled for 2 minutes, add your ham.

Add the rice.

Lastly, add the 1/2 and 1/2, a pinch of pepper and salt.

I divided mine into containers to store in the freezer.

Be sure to try some before you put them away though. Yumm!

It was hubby approved too :) And that says a lot for my picky eater of a husband!

Enjoy!