Real Comfort Food!

I love chicken noodle soup, or turkey noodle soup. When I'm sick, when it's cold outside, or just whenever I feel like it. It only takes about 30 minutes, and once you've made it yourself, the canned stuff just won't do. So here's my own recipe, after much experimentation to make it the very best. We all love it, and it's always the first thing I make with leftover turkey (along with turkey/cranberry sandwiches). I usually just make a basic chicken or turkey noodle soup with leftover cooked meat, but I sometimes add variations to make it a creamier soup, so I'll add those at the end of the recipe. Try it!

Chicken or Turkey Noodle Soup

2 tb. butter or canola oil

4 stalks celery, halved lengthwise and chopped 1/2 inch

1/2 med. onion, chopped

1/2 lb. baby carrots, cut in half

2 c. chopped cooked chicken or turkey

8-10 c. chicken broth (I use 10 c. water + 3 tb. bouillon granules)

1 tb. dried parsley

1/2 tsp. black pepper

8 oz. (1/2 package) egg noodles

In large saucepan or Dutch oven, saute celery, onion and carrots in butter/oil for about 5 minutes. Add chicken broth, parsley and pepper. Bring to boil, turn down heat. Simmer about 10 minutes, or until carrots are crisp-tender. Add egg noodles and cook 7-8 minutes more. Add chicken or turkey and heat through. Serves about 6-8 hungry people.

*Variation for Creamy Chicken or Turkey Noodle Soup: Prepare as directed, adding 1 can cream of chicken soup or 2 c. homemade turkey gravy with the meat at the end. Heat through. If you need a good turkey recipe, just ask. I've got one that makes the best, most juicy, tender turkey and fabulous gravy. And it's easy!

Beautiful Brown Bananas

Most things are bad when they go bad, right? Except bananas! When bananas get over-ripe you can make the yummiest things! My 2 favorite things to make for snacks (or breakfast) when my bananas go brown are banana bread and chocolate-banana milk. I actually make banana pancakes, too, but I haven't made those in a while, so I don't have a pic. I have had many banana bread recipes over the years, but this is my favorite. Dustin brought some home that an old lady patient of his had made, and it was the best I'd ever had, so I told him he had to get the recipe. The secret is butter instead of oil, and 4 bananas instead of the typical 3. When I only have 1 or 2, I make chocolate-banana milk, my own recipe.

Best Banana Bread

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. butter

4 mashed bananas

2 eggs

2 c. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

pinch salt

3 tb. buttermilk (I mix 3 tb. milk and 1/2 tsp. lemon juice and let it sit a few minutes)

Cream butter and sugar. Add bananas and eggs. Add dry ingredients, then buttermilk. Pour into greased loaf pans (1 large, 3 small, or 24 muffins). Bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes (large pan). 3 small pans takes about 25-35 minutes, muffins take about 20-25 minutes.

Chocolate Banana Milk

4 c. milk

1-2 bananas

chocolate syrup (as much as you like)

Mix all in blender until smooth. Serves 4. YUM!